


Lost Boys

by katbear



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Young Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-27 18:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12086706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katbear/pseuds/katbear
Summary: The Sith are not the only bad guys who know about the Force





	Lost Boys

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks: To the beta readers who made this a better story (Merry Amelie, Lady Saddlebred). All mistakes are my own.  
> First appeared in ConStrict zine July 2017. Thanks to Sian for ConStrict and for the final version of the story title art.

 

 

 

 

The summons had been marked as Priority One - Qui-Gon hoped it meant a new mission was coming his way. He didn’t care where or how dangerous as long as it got him off Coruscant, the sooner the better. As he entered the small conference room, Qui-Gon’s well-practiced expression of neutrality hid the travel fever that had been twitching his gut despite having been at the Temple for only a few tens this time.

At least, that was what Qui-Gon called it, despite Yoda’s sarcastic hrrmph’s, not willing to acknowledge the discomfort he had developed with prolonged stays at the Temple since the disastrous severing of his relationship with Padawan Xanatos Crion several years earlier. Qui-Gon had given up his assigned quarters for a string of temporary visitor rooms, put most of his meager belongings in storage and volunteered for every off-planet mission he could get. Occasionally, though, he was forced to return for mandatory activities such as physicals or to teach short classes and seminars. Every single time, Master Yoda had found him despite his best efforts to stay invisible and dragged him down to visit initiate activities. Qui-Gon had never thought highly of the policy requiring initiates to become padawans by age thirteen, so he was saddened rather than moved by the enthusiastic young people whose happy, eager expressions were underlaid in too many cases by a tinge of desperation. He was never so troubled by any of them, however, to consider taking another padawan.

Qui-Gon took a chair near the end of the oval table. He didn’t recognize the two masters, senior padawan or knight already at the table, but that was hardly surprising given how much he had distanced himself from the Temple and its denizens. He allowed himself a small flicker of interest and a slightly raised eyebrow when the head of the Mission Committee, a short, bald, pale-skinned master named Ched Goln, came in. He was followed almost immediately by Master Yoda and Master Adi Gallia.

“Thank you for coming,” said Master Goln. “Much of the information we are about to discuss is very closely held and not to be discussed elsewhere without explicit permission. Is that understood?” He waited until every person had acknowledged. Goln gave the barest of sighs as he placed both hands on the table, all six fingers splayed out. “I would first like to introduce everyone in the room. I believe we all know Council members Master Yoda and Master Gallia. By seniority, the next person is Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He has been mostly off-planet on missions for many years in both covert and non-covert roles and is one of the Order’s premier negotiators.”

Qui-Gon nodded to the others, his lips quirking in a tiny smile before his face settled back into watchful blankness. He had long since learned patience and was content to wait.

“Master Bena.”

The female Jedi nodded. She was standard humanoid, long grayish-brown hair, mildly wrinkled forehead, of such a decidedly average size and appearance that eyes tended to glance over and past her.

“Master Bena also has several years of covert, surveillance and research work. Her Senior Padawan, Tro Lim, has assisted in much of her work and has specialized in the investigation of criminal gangs on his own independent missions.”

Lim nodded in turn. He was also of humanoid lineage, about the same height as his master but very thin with gray, muddy skin, black hair and black eyes.

“Knight Aldeen is one of our best computer slicers, and has a very high level of accurate precognition.”

Aldeen flashed a smile around the table. Humanoid but quite a physical contrast to Jinn – short where the master was tall, stocky with muscles that stretched the sleeves of his tunics instead of lanky coiled steel, skin subtle shades of black and dark brown, black hair cut short and an air of easy affability.

“And finally, Master Gerrnvik, current head of the Reassignment Council.”

Gerrnvik was clearly of ursine descent. His wide body had coarse brown fur, his hands had stubby fingers and fuzzy round ears flicked back and forth.

“Let us get straight to the heart of our problem.” Goln waved a hand. “I will ask Master Gerrnvik to begin.”

“Thank you, Master Goln,” rumbled the deep voice. “As part of our work overseeing the Agricultural Corps, Medical Corps, Educational Corps and Exploration Corps, we track every initiate, padawan, knight and master who is assigned for training or volunteers for one of the four Corps for membership, training or temporary missions. I realize that is a statement of the obvious, but the corollary is that we also track every being who departs or goes missing.”

Qui-Gon felt the uptick of interest in the room with Gerrnvik’s slight emphasis on the word ‘missing’. He listened a little harder.

“Departures are usually normal events. Reassignments, retirements, resignations.” Gerrnvik shrugged one shoulder, apparently in response to Padawan Lim’s expression of surprise. “We do get a few resignations, mostly from younger members of the Agricultural and Educational groups who have reached at least their species' legal age of emancipation, despite our best efforts to provide training and meaningful work. Counseling, transportation and a termination payout is given to each being. We usually track them for at least five years in case they wish to return, which also does happen. That group, however, is not why I’m here.”

“The issue today is that of our younger charges, initiates who were assigned as Service Corps trainees, who have gone missing or died unexpectedly. This is not a frequent occurrence, but I am forced to report that perhaps some of my predecessors were not always sufficiently diligent in the investigations of certain recent incidents. There are always a few deaths – some of our work is in dangerous places. We were usually able to recover a body or adequate evidence of death to close the case on those. There have even, regrettably, been a small number of suicides. Or at least what we believed to have been suicides.”

“Not suicides?” asked Aldeen. “Then what?”

“There were three cases which we now believe to be part of a larger problem. When I became head of the Reassignment Council, I had a special interest in the initiates we received from the Temple after they ‘aged out’. I wanted to know if we could improve the support and transition processes for them, so I began looking at records.” Gerrnvik’s voice deepened even further when he continued. “I found an upsetting trend beginning about six years ago. There was an increase in the numbers of beings who disappeared either between leaving the Temple and arriving at their initial posting or shortly after arriving at that first assignment. During that first year, five beings of widely disparate species went missing. Three of them were located, or rather, the bodies of three of them were later found. They had died of drug overdoses and the circumstances were deemed to be suicide. The other two were humanoids. The next year three more humanoids went missing and one was found dead, also of a drug overdose. Since then, there have been one to three humanoid initiate disappearances every year that we cannot account for. At this point, we have a total of eleven such young people.”

“Eleven partially trained Force-sensitives completely missing?” Qui-Gon felt his mind recoil from the potential uses to which the innocent young people might have been put if they had been found or taken by the wrong people.

“Yes. We have improved the security of the transport process. None are allowed to travel on commercial transport alone any longer and an older Jedi accompanies them, at minimum a senior padawan or knight. There have been no more disappearances en route since then, but the most recent loss six months ago was after arrival at an agricultural planet. We are still investigating that one.”

“So are the four of us going to be looking for the missing Jedi trainees?” asked Aldeen.

“Yes, but there is now more to this story,” Master Goln said. “Master Bena, will you please continue?”

“Of course. I became interested in the missing trainees six months ago when Tro and I were looking into some criminal activities here.” Bena touched a button and her datapad projected a galaxy map onto the wall. “Starting from the upper edge of Hutt Space, from just into the outer rim, crossing these mid rim sectors and part way into the inner rim. Tro identified what might be an organization that seems to specialize in high-value thefts as well as possibly selective assassinations. We found a subset of these types of crimes that would have required some remarkably sophisticated technology or a combination of good technology with Force skills commensurate with what a trainee would be expected to have. After a LOT of hours reviewing every piece of surveillance footage we could find in the areas, we finally caught a break.”

A wave of her hand replaced the map with a picture. The background appeared to be the mouth of a dark alley, but a streetlight had caught and highlighted a humanoid face within a hood for an instant.

“We believe that is Puchen Jdoret shortly after he stole several rare jewels. He is a trainee who went missing six years ago at a transit station on his way to his Ag Corps assignment, one of the first to vanish. Once we identified him, I went immediately to Master Gerrnvik. We pooled our information, then I updated our analysis and sent Tro out for some additional fact-finding.”

A new map image flashed onto the wall.

“The red dots indicate places where trainees disappeared. Most of those are in or near the areas inside the yellow line that indicates the areas where we believe this specialized gang works. We have a few leads about them, but they are very particular about the jobs they take on.”

“Those missing trainees were all brought up in the Temple,” said Qui-Gon quietly. “I can believe that they might all have been targeted and kidnapped, which is what I’m hearing, but to successfully coerce ALL of them into participating in criminal activities seems unlikely. They all had some degree of connection with the Force and were raised within the Jedi Order ethical code.”

There was an uneasy silence for a moment before Master Gerrnvik spoke. “I can address that to at least some extent. Many of the young trainees who have just been sent from the Temple accept the change and look forward to learning new things. Others, however, either see themselves as failures or have anger against the Order because they see their dream and expectation of becoming a padawan broken. Our soul healers believe such young persons could be turned to a different life. Also…” Gerrnvik grumbled low in his chest. “When we reviewed the medical information on the dead trainees, the same drug was found. Our working theory is that whoever is taking the trainees was unsuccessful in using the drug on non-humanoids the first year, was still adjusting dosages the second year, but might very well have found a way to successfully use the drug to control those trainees who were not willing gang members. We don’t know if any additional methods of coercion are being used.”

“Bastards,” muttered Aldeen. He spoke a little louder. “I definitely want in on this job.”

Qui-Gon felt anger and disgust, partly against whoever was doing this and partly against the Order’s policies and procedures that might have aided them. “What do we know about the gang leaders?”

“Not much,” replied Bena. “They are very reclusive, but Tro was able to get a few hits on how they might be contacted for jobs. We haven’t had time yet to pursue those. We have profiled the type of work they seem to prefer, usually high-risk, high-payoff jobs. We believe the probability is very great that the leader or leaders have Force abilities and at least some degree of training in using them. There are definitely known cases where parents refused to give up Force-sensitive children to the Order as well as many we probably never found. And, unpalatable as it may be, we must consider the possibility that not only released trainees but failed senior padawans who left the order may be involved.”

"What is the scope of our mission?" Qui-Gon sat up a little straighter. He let his mask of neutrality slip enough to show his determination to resolve this injustice.

"There are really two things we are working on. Your team's primary mission is to locate the missing trainees and, ideally, bring in the other gang members. Another team is working on identifying how the in-transit new trainees were identified and kidnapped." Goln leaned back in his chair.

“Master Bena and Padawan Lim will continue to work together while Master Jinn and Knight Aldeen will be the other half of the team. Master Gerrnvik and his people will provide any new information they come across. Master Gallia will be my liaison to the Council – she has also been asked to use her contacts to see if we can get any leads on people requesting or performing the type of work this gang prefers.”

Adi nodded but didn’t speak.

“At this point, unless there are any comments or questions by or for Masters Yoda, Gallia or Gerrnvik, I suggest we take a short break. I will then work with the team to dig down through the mission parameters and resources to get us started on this job.”

**** **** ****

It was late afternoon by the time everyone sat back in their chairs with various sighs. Tro’s stomach growled to punctuate the collective pause and he grimaced.

“That is some excellent work. My congratulations to both you and Tro.”

They had quickly come to a first-name basis.

“Thank you, Qui-Gon.” Bena glanced fondly at her padawan. “Tro deserves much of the credit for the field work that got us this far."

“There is still much yet to be done and much current information to be digested, however.” Aldeen tapped a finger on his datapad. “I think Qui-Gon’s observation on the pattern of activities has merit. Bena's analysis indicates there are at least seven instances where it appears that a minimum of two to three crimes were committed at roughly the same time on the same planet. That’s something I can follow up on by looking for other unusual or difficult crimes on additional planets which may not have been noticed.”

“We know that the group is probably small, with at least eleven known members and, I suspect, a small number of Force-capable leaders plus possible support persons. We also believe that some of those eleven trainees are not working voluntarily, which to me says they need extra supervision and control.” Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. “Presumably they have significant funds available from their prior work, but if they are not part of a larger organization, they also have significant costs for transport and maintenance of their people. That issue plus the size of the group implies that they keep the group together, at least for the most part, and maximize profit by taking on multiple jobs simultaneously. That approach could also help spread thin the most competent immediate police responders. I saw that methodology used quite successfully fifteen years ago on one of my covert missions.”

“Good points,” replied Bena. “If we can intercept one operative we might find others on the same planet. The data we have so far does seem to support a hypothesis that this group works freelance.”

“This will be a big job that we aren’t going to solve today.” Goln tapped his datapad. “Take this ten to finish any current activities or obligations you have, think about or talk about ideas and then get back together to finalize action plans. Needless to say, be prepared to travel for a while. I’ll work on transportation options. See you in ten.”

Everyone nodded and gathered their 'pads.

*** *** ***

Qui-Gon’s next days were filled with completing the seminar he was teaching, exercising or sparring and meditating. The rest of his time was devoted to studying the mission files and updates from the other team members.

Every evening, Qui-Gon made a special point of reviewing the files of all eleven trainees. They were all so young in their images, even those who had been missing the longest and had had a picture ‘aged’ to show what they might look like today. There were analyses from crèche masters and soul healers predicting which of the young people were likely to ‘turn’ or were most likely to resist. Qui-Gon wasn’t sure which possibility pained him the most.

Six years ago. Puchen Jdoret and Veek Toms had been the first humanoid trainees taken. Jdoret had been a promising trainee, but proved unable to overcome flaws of pride and temper. He had been judged very likely to turn, given the right handling and encouragement. Toms had never been more than average at best, but believed strongly in the Force and the Jedi. He may have been the first to undergo drugging.

Five years ago. Shok Betik, Kellvon. Betik had been found dead, perhaps the victim of overdosing.

Four years ago. Miq Gen.

Three years ago. Chaxic, Als-Dam Weven, Ng Uft.

Two years ago. Joulakortek, P’gan Ve.

One year ago. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

And just six months ago. Betfij Iven.

Elbows on the table and fingers interlaced, Qui-Gon went through the images and background files over and over until he was certain that he could recognize any of the faces if he encountered them. He considered which ones might have been turned - Jdoret, Chaxic, Weven were considered most likely and thus might be among the most trusted of the gang with most freedom of independent movement. Gen and Kenobi were felt by far the least likely to surrender, the others probably not but might weaken under sufficient coercion.

Qui-Gon stopped to stretch and fetch a cup of tea. He let his thoughts wander aloud as he flipped through the files.

“All of the presumably surviving victims are young, male, humanoid… all at a vulnerable point in their lives. Whoever took these boys must have some understanding of the Order and what happens as our young people approach the age of thirteen. They most likely have significant Force abilities and training in how to use them. I don’t think we should completely rule out non-Jedi, although I’m not sure how such beings would get training even if they have Force ability, and perhaps even non-Force sensitives as support members of the gang.”

His finger stopped at an image of all eleven. He wasn’t happy at how the Order had managed to let so many of their own get stolen before Master Gerrnvik had seen the pattern, but he was almost physically pained by the loss of potential represented by the image. Eleven young people, all Force sensitives, turned or coerced to become criminals. He had seen far too much of the dark underbelly of the galaxy to have any illusions about what coercions or persuasions might have been used.

Qui-Gon let his gaze linger on each individual in turn, pondering the information he had been given and what they might have become under other circumstances. He felt himself drawn back to Gen and Kenobi, the Force buzzing at the back of his mind, poking at him. For a few moments he almost considered what could have been if a master had been found for them before firmly pushing that thought aside. He had already proved to be a failure of epic proportions – if he wasn’t fit or willing to take another padawan he was surely in no position to criticize any other unknown Jedi for the same inaction.

Still, his dreams were troubled at night with thoughts of the fates of the lost boys.

*** *** ***

The plan of action quickly came together at the final meeting.

Knight Aldeen’s computer research had turned up new potential crimes at the same time as several previously known ones, providing some confirmation of the theory that the gang tended to stay together in each system. He had uncovered a very recent spate of activity in the Trevn system that was worth investigating. He had also taken the initiative to link port and ship records to each planet during the times of suspected crimes and had come up with several possible ships to be checked out.

“Nice job,” said Master Goln. “I also have a report from Master Gerrnvik about an incident only a few days ago that he believes is a thwarted attempt to grab another trainee at a new Ag Corps assignment. Please add the location and dates to your ship search.”

“Qui-Gon and I have been discussing our course of action.” Bena projected an image of the crime locations. “Given Aldeen’s input, we want to start here at Trevn and have all four of us look at that. From that point, we will split up. Tro and I will check out the new data on ships and continue our investigation of potential links to other gangs and contact methods.”

“Aldeen and I will revisit a few of the other most recent sites to further develop our understanding of their potential modus operandi and see if anything might have been missed in the police reports.”

“Those visits will also help me get a physical feel for any clues,” added Aldeen. “The more I know, the better my precognition seems to work for a given subject.”

Qui-Gon studied the image. “I would also like to stop and interview the trainee that was saved from abduction. That should only add a day or so to our trip to Trevn.”

“Very well. It sounds like you have things well in hand.” Goln handed packets to each person. “You are all credentialed as investigative officers. In addition, Masters Jinn and Bena are credentialed as Republic mediators in case you need to exercise that function. We have two small ships, old but serviceable, waiting for you in the hangar with departure scheduled for tomorrow morning at ninth hour. If there are no further questions for me, I will leave you to get on with things.” He stood up and bowed slightly. “May the Force be with you.”

*** *** ***

After a few bits of encouraging initial progress, the next several tens proved to be a hard slog.

The rescued trainee confirmed that both people who had tried to abduct him were male and Force users, but beyond the fact that they were humanoid he had not been able to provide anything other than a general description due to their heavy cloaks and hooded faces.

Four days spent on Trevn 3 poring over police records and visiting crime scenes confirmed their suspicions that at least three incidents, thefts of rare, highly secured objects, likely involved Force users in addition to sophisticated technology and were similar to earlier crimes. The timing was recent enough that Qui-Gon, and to a lesser extent, Bena, were able to discern faint Force signatures after hours of meditation at the sites. Once that effort was complete, the teams went separate ways.

Bena and Tro were mostly covert, posing as potential employers for ‘special jobs’ as they tried to track down underground leads on how to contact the Force gang. They also tried to discreetly identify the needle in the multiple haystacks that might be the gang’s ship, an effort that proved increasingly frustrating.

Qui-Gon and Aldeen revisited older crime scenes, confirming their suspicions about the methods apparently used most often to get around sophisticated security systems while leaving minimal evidence of their presence. Much of the evidence was in the form of omissions, such as blank spaces in camera recordings, computer records or even in the memories of guards.

Finally, a brief message of carefully worded optimism brought Qui-Gon and Aldeen to the Grusus system to join their peers.

Aldeen took the proffered ale and flopped down into a seat in the small common room on Bena’s ship. “I hope you’ve had more luck than us. We have some ideas about how they’re stealing things, but it’s been damned near impossible to get concrete evidence.”

“Sounds like our search for that stupid ship. I had no idea how many small freighters of that particular model are in the galaxy.” Tro grimaced as he tossed a datapad on the table. “Still at least two dozen potentials to try to track.”

“Did you take into account the possibility that they stole some transponders so they could change their electronic identity?” Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. “Highly illegal, of course, but we are dealing with criminals.”

Bena grinned at her padawan’s scowl. “Told you it was better to rely on physical sightings to pick up any unique characteristics.”

“Yes, Master.” Tro sighed. “Point taken.”

“Setting aside things that are not progressing well, you indicated that you may have some good news?” Qui-Gon took a sip of ale.

“Indeed.” Bena projected an image from her 'pad onto the wall. “We finally got a feeler on one of the ‘jobs’ we’ve been asking about, supposed unique artifacts for a private collector. Most of the time, we just get ‘Oh, yeah, we can do that’, but on Vegpok we got some real interest. A sector gang leader said he might know somebody who does that kind of specialized work, but he had to negotiate a finder’s fee. We kept giving him Corellian brandy and he waxed a little more expansive. Seems this group is currently booked, but he could probably work it out if we could wait another four tens.”

“A new job coming up soon?” Aldeen sat up straight. “Any idea of where or when?”

“The ‘when’ is just within the next four tens.” Bena shook her head. “He was pretty far gone by the time we got that out of him. I had to be careful about pushing for details about whether the group was really qualified, could they handle something this big and such. Before he passed out he laughed and said something to the effect of ‘Don’t worry about big jobs, the whole fucking sector’s gonna hear about their next gig when it blows’. Tro and I have been trying to figure out what he was talking about, but we’d like to hear what you think.”

Qui-Gon sat back, closed his eyes and considered the gang leader’s words as Aldeen, Bena and Tro tossed around possibilities. Finally, he blinked a few times, put both hands flat on the table.

“Churbosh,” he announced quietly.

“What about Churbosh?” asked Bena. “I thought that was a pretty backwoods sort of place.”

“Normally it is. But if the activity is in the current sector and will happen within the next four tens, Churbosh becomes a significant possibility. It was recently announced as the neutral site for a treaty signing between the Hugyt and Szoom systems, which are both politically well-connected and rich in resources. They’ve been at odds for almost a hundred years and this is a huge event, which is not entirely favored by certain parties who could stand to lose a lot of credits if it takes place. The celebrations are scheduled to include a wedding between members of two major families, which means there will be some very large amounts of jewels in the capital city which are not normally there and probably many art pieces as part of their traditions for display or trading.”

“You think they’ve been hired or are going in on their own to take out the valuables?” Bena shook her head. “I suppose that would be big news, but I didn’t have a sense that was what our drunk friend was referring to.”

“Assassination as a distraction for thefts.”

“Assassination? That’s a big jump from theft, isn’t it?” Aldeen narrowed his eyes. “Why do you think they'd be interested?”

“Not necessarily a big jump if it’s worth enough credits to them,” said Bena. “There are at least two prior instances where we think they might have been involved in that type of thing. What led you to this idea, Qui-Gon?”

“Six years ago I was a mediator for yet another round of Hugyt/Szoom negotiations. At that time, we were only able to come to an interim settlement and it was agreed to postpone discussions of the unresolved issues. Those were apparently resolved this year and they are finally ready to sign a full treaty. While I was there, I learned a great deal about the finances of both systems and who stood to lose or gain by an agreement, in some cases potentially many millions of credits. I suggest assassination because there have been two key players, one for each side, who have almost single-handedly forced the negotiations to a successful conclusion. If one or both are eliminated, there is a very real possibility that the treaty will not be signed, especially if evidence can be planted incriminating the opposing side. If you include the pending bride and groom, both of them also very important to the reconciliation, it will make things even more chaotic and difficult to safeguard.”

“It is an intriguing possibility, but we don’t seem to have any other evidence supporting it. Where do we want to go from here?” asked Tro. “Do we abandon all of our other efforts to focus on this?”

“I have a suggestion, or rather a request.” Aldeen leaned forward. “I would like to do a group meditation. I’m getting vague flickerings in the Force, but I have found that group meditations can help me focus and sometimes trigger my precog into providing something useful, especially when we all have been so concentrated on the same work.”

“A worthwhile thought.” Qui-Gon nodded. “I am amenable and willing to lead the session.”

Bena and Tro immediately assented.

*** *** ***

After they ate a quick meal, the four Jedi put away chairs and table to assemble on the floor of the common room. They knelt in a small square, Bena and Tro facing Qui-Gon and Aldeen.

Qui-Gon led the group as they calmed their minds and relaxed into the joining with the Force. He chose as the initial focus point the images of the eleven lost trainees and let the Force lead them where it would from there.

Time passed without awareness for Qui-Gon as he sought guidance and enlightenment. The warm presence of the group comforted him and strengthened his own focus. He took in the images and emotions the Force brought him and worked to translate those into an understanding of the situation and what the will of the Force wanted them to do.

When the time seemed right, Qui-Gon reached out to gather the others' attention and gently brought them out of the meditation. He breathed slowly several times before opening his eyes.

Bena and Tro were kneeling, very relaxed, with quiet smiles. Aldeen, however, had his hands pressed together, eyes closed, with an intense look on his face.

The other three remained quiet as Aldeen sat stone still for another minute before relaxing and opening his eyes. He nodded somberly as he looked around.

“What did you see?” asked Qui-Gon.

“Churbosh is the right clue. We will find at least part of what we are seeking, but it will not be easy. I had a vision of a wedding obscured by red haze, so that may be the location of an assassination attempt if it is to take place prior to the treaty signing.” Aldeen’s expression was troubled as he looked at Qui-Gon. “You have a significant role to play in what will be coming. Your choices may set you on a difficult path that will have great consequences, for good or ill, for at least one other. What those choices may be, I cannot say.” He added wryly, “I believe it was a true vision, but I’m afraid the Force was not inclined to speak very explicitly about your part this day. Did any of the rest of you get anything that might add to the picture?”

Qui-Gon drew a deep breath in through his nose and held it, releasing it very slowly as Bena and Tro confirmed that they, too, had felt their meditations pointing them toward Churbosh but with no specific guidance.

Aldeen nodded. "Qui-Gon? What of your thoughts?"

"We are going in the right direction - that much was clear to me." Qui-Gon paused, narrowing his eyes. "There will be danger, to us and others, but that is not unexpected. I was… directed, I think would be the right word, to the younger boys." He shook his head. "I'm not sure what that meant. Perhaps the choices you foresaw involve one or more of them. I must think about this."

"Very well. We can speak again later." Aldeen stood up. "For now, we'd best set course for Churbosh and begin our planning."

*** *** ***

It was a three-day trip to Churbosh. During the day, they prepared their plans over secure comms between their ships. At night, they exercised, rested and meditated.

On the final night, Qui-Gon’s sleep was uneasy. The Force had been distant and elusive when he had tried to meditate, but there was an increasing sense of urgency that permeated both his meditations and dreams. Early in the morning, too restless to sleep, he finally left his bed and dressed.

The small ship provided little scope for the extensive pacing Qui-Gon wanted to do. After several trips up and down its length, he found himself in the control room.

Aldeen was already there, although he looked far more composed than Qui-Gon felt.

“Good morning. I was just checking the autopilot. Everything is well with the ship and we should be reaching port in three hours.” Aldeen turned away from the panel. The smile on his face slipped away as he looked up at his teammate. “Master Jinn, you look troubled. Is there something wrong?”

Qui-Gon quickly schooled his features to neutrality as he shook his head. “Nothing untoward about the mission. That is still on track, at least until we see how the initial meetings go.”

“And your personal path?” Aldeen’s eyes softened in sympathy.

“Alas, not nearly so clear.” Qui-Gon let one corner of his mouth quirk slightly. “The Force is disturbed, but is being less clear than Master Yoda at his most inscrutable.”

“My sympathies.” Aldeen’s smile flashed bright in the dim light. “That is surely most frustrating.”

“Indeed it is. At this point, I feel that all I can do is remain more vigilant than usual.” He gave a rueful laugh. “And, of course, stay flexible.”

Aldeen grimaced at that word. “I have to come to abhor that expression. It usually means shit has or is about to hit the proverbial fan and we have to figure out how to clean it up.”

“Far more often than not, I’m afraid. Let’s hope the pile is not too overwhelmingly large this time.”

*** *** ***

Qui-Gon’s authority and reputation secured the Jedi team an immediate meeting at the space port with the highest level of police officials and the chief negotiators for Hugyt and Szoom.

“It is good to see you again, Master Jinn,” said Councilor Tuuron of Hugyt.

“Aye, it is. But I doubt you and your fellow Jedi are here to congratulate the bride and groom. And I know we did not request Jedi mediators to participate since the treaty has already been negotiated and is ready for signature.” Magistrate Gacsel of Szoom’s lips had a smile, but his dark eyes were shrewd and calculating.

“I’m afraid we are indeed here for a different reason altogether.” Qui-Gon gave a quick review of his team’s purpose, the work they had been doing and their suspicions about the threats to disrupt the treaty signing. “The group we have been tracking is dangerous, has a track record of success in high-risk/high-value criminal activities and appears to be quite ruthless. We believe that on Churbosh there is a very real threat of assassination as well as theft.”

“And you say all of them are Force users?” Chief Raw’vyt was flicking through the datapad Bena had given him with details of the past cases they had been investigating. His brow was furrowed and his shoulders hunched forward.

“The active participants, yes,” said Bena. “Some of them are willing players, especially the leaders, and we believe at least some of the group are Jedi trainees who were kidnapped and are being coerced by drug addiction.”

“Well, we can certainly use these pictures of the trainees to load the security cameras and hopefully get alerts if any of them are spotted.” Raw’vyt looked up as he leaned back. A muscle jumped in his heavy jaw. “But this Force business is sure gonna fuck things up if you say they can circumvent security systems and play mind games with guards.” He cast a quick eye over both negotiators. “And from what I understand, if somebody knocks off Councilor Tuuron and/or Magistrate Gascel, that could blow the treaty up in pretty short order.”

“I would have to agree that killing us could put the treaty at risk,” said Tuuron. He lifted one eyebrow slightly. “There are certain parties who have only grudgingly agreed to this final version.”

Gascel snorted. “Ever the master of understatement, my friend. It has taken years, literally generations, to get this far and there’s plenty of grumping even now. The wedding, though, is the glue to bring two of the most powerful groups together as it will create a major new family holding with pieces in both systems. So does the threat pertain to just us or to the bride and groom as well?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t know for certain. This group has been very successful at hiding their plans and locations, but we shouldn’t take anything for granted. Chief Raw’vyt, I’m sure you have deployed your security forces well and have the cooperation of the delegations’ security teams, but given the nature of the threat, our group would like to be active members of the response team.” Qui-Gon nodded toward the other three Jedi. “We will, of course, coordinate with you, but we are the most likely to be able to detect and intercept Force users. We must be able to operate independently with authority to take whatever actions we deem necessary.”

“You just tell me what you need. I’ll take any help I can get against those bastards,” growled Raw’vyt.

*** *** ***

All agreed that local safety operations would be aggressively expanded, to include bringing in military units for port and building security. There was a long discussion, however, of whether it was better for the Jedi to appear openly or stay incognito. The negotiators wanted the Jedi to circulate and make themselves obvious, hoping that might scare off the gang. Given that they were obvious targets, Qui-Gon sympathized with their position. On the other hand, the police position was that the sudden appearance of Jedi might drive the gang further underground and make them more difficult to find.

In the end, discretion was deemed to be more valuable than open challenge. The Jedi had already ensured that their ships had come in registered as free traders. Chief Raw’vyt provided suitable local clothing and each Jedi was given a comm on the secure police circuits in addition to their personal comms for talking among themselves. He also ensured that each Jedi had a coded identity pass as a senior police operative.

There were only four days left before the official ceremonies – the wedding was to take place in early afternoon and the newlyweds were to be the first signatories of the new treaty at the evening celebrations. The Jedi split up to cover more territory prior to the big day.

Tro Lim was dispatched to lurk at the space port. His initial task was to locate any ships that fit the likely profile of the gang’s probable transport and try to find out who was on the ships.

Bena began reviewing the facility that would be the main location for all of the ceremonies. It was a large, rambling multi-story luxury hotel in the heart of the city that had been taken over for the proceedings. All of the main delegations and the wedding parties were housed there and the huge ballrooms were already being set up and decorated for the various festivities, including the nightly banquets prior to and on the day of the wedding/signing. There were three smaller hotels nearby with guests, reporters, extra security personnel and administrative staff. Bena was to not only look at the security operations but try to identify the most lucrative potential theft targets at the hotels or other parts of the city.

Qui-Gon and Aldeen split their time as surreptitious members of Tuuron and Gacsel’s staffs. They monitored their routines and spent time roaming the areas within and outside the hotels. Several times a day and night, each of the masters found a discreet place where they could be undisturbed as they sought traces of the Force that might indicate the presence of any of the gang members. Qui-Gon was also the central point of contact for police reports of any odd activities.

The tension mounted almost visibly over the next three days. There was an occasional tantalizing wisp of Force which might or might not be from a gang member rather than an unknowing civilian Force-sensitive being. Over-anxious police and soldiers sent in numerous reports that had to be checked out. The various delegations were all too aware of the importance of the treaty and were almost walking on egg shells to avoid upsetting any of the delicate negotiations that had gotten them all there – even so, all of the Jedi masters came across many furtive conversations in dark corners that split up when an outsider approached. None of the Jedi were getting much sleep.

Qui-Gon slipped quietly along a corridor, nodded to a guard and entered a room. Inside the light was dim except for a single light above a large, wooden desk.

The man at the desk paused, turned his chair and looked up. “Master Jinn, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.” Tuuron gestured toward the comfortable chairs near the desk. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Thank you, but no.” Qui-Gon sat down. “What can I do for you, Councilor?”

Tuuron leaned back in his chair and slowly rolled his shoulders before quietly replying. “You know, I should be happy right now. Tomorrow will be the culmination of what I have worked toward most of my life. Instead, I have been updating my will.”

“We do not know if there will be any violence tomorrow. There are many people working very hard to make sure that does not happen.”

“Mmmm... I don’t doubt that.” Tuuron was quiet for a while before speaking again. “I have a great deal of respect for you, Master Jinn. You were tremendously helpful in that last set of negotiations.”

Qui-Gon nodded respectfully but did not speak, sensing there was more his host wanted to say.

“I don’t understand the Force and how it might predict what will or will not play a role in whatever happens, but I do know that I have been having bad dreams. Tomorrow does not go well for me in those dreams.” Tuuron suddenly leaned forward. His voice was low and tight. “Master Jinn, can the Force tell you if someone is going to die?”

“I’m sorry, Councilor, but the Force is rarely that specific.” Qui-Gon rested his hands on the arms of his chair. “I do sense that there will be danger. We will all be as vigilant as possible, but what will happen to any one individual… I don’t know. I can only tell you that any of us will give our own life, if necessary, to protect innocent lives.”

Tuuron slumped back in his chair. “Thank you for your honesty.” He sighed. “I am still going to finish updating my will.” The councilor gave a wan smile. “Just in case, you know.”

“Of course, Councilor.” Qui-Gon’s personal comm vibrated, a three-beat signal that indicated urgency. “If you will excuse me, I need to go.” He stood up, gave a slight bow and quickly left the room.

Qui-Gon found a quiet alcove and opened his comm.

“Bena here. We need to talk. Everyone. Secure Room 772 in ten minutes.”

*** *** ***

Qui-Gon was the last to arrive. Tro Lim was grinning, clearly anxious to spread some good news.

“I take it we have new information?” Qui-Gon kept his face neutral, in contrast to Bena’s not-quite-successful attempt to hide a smile.

“Yes! I found their ship!” Lim’s grin got even wider.

“Very well. Tell us about it.”

“I had identified three possible ships the day we arrived, but they all proved to be legitimate, so I was still surveilling the port. This morning another ship came in. It had the right physical profile but the transponder registered it as the Jamus Twell, out of the Jonub system. That didn’t match any of the previous names we had been keeping an eye on, but I remembered what you said about using illegal transponders. I opened the system link I had made into the portmaster’s records – there wasn’t much about the owners and listed a cargo of tools and parts, but it did show that same ship as having been here twice before, sevens tens ago and also three tens ago, each time for several days. That seemed worth following up, so I wandered around trying to get close to it and watched it for a while. I was sure I was getting some Force indicators, but I knew Master would have my hide if I didn’t get positive verification. I waited some more and finally the ship opened and three people came out. I don’t know if they were just careless, but I was definitely detecting Force signatures. One of them had on a floppy hat instead of a hooded jacket.” Lim triumphantly pulled out a mini-pad. “I got a picture.”

The other three Jedi stared at the flatpic for a moment before all said, “Puchen Jdoret.”

“Well, this explains why we haven’t been able to positively find any Force indications,” said Aldeen. “They didn’t get here until today.”

“They surely wouldn’t leave a job this big until the last minute. That must mean the sneaky bastards did their prep earlier and are just coming back now to execute.” Bena muttered several expletives before activating her secure police comm to request immediate delivery of surveillance footage of the hotel for the dates the ship had been in port.

“They must expect the increased security levels in place.” Aldeen stood up and began to pace. “Even if they had been able to plant some explosives that the scanners haven’t found, how would they activate them or know when to activate them? Or if not explosives, how else would they attempt an assassination?”

“Remote scanners and remote activators are possible. They could have bribed people to notify them of what’s happening tomorrow. Or they could have bribed people to let them use their ID to get into the hotel. If they have sufficiently developed their Force skills, they could even mind blur guards into letting them pass inside. I’ve certainly seen remote technology and bribes work effectively on past missions.”

“True, and we don’t really have an accurate idea of what their Force abilities are.” Aldeen sat back down. “We know what levels the trainees had, and we think the leaders might have been at least senior padawan level. But it’s likely they have worked on increasing their abilities and skills, even for those trainees they took.”

“We’ve been focusing on the hotel area,” said Tro. “If the assassination is supposed to be a diversion for thefts, how are we going to stop that?”

“We might not be able to stop all the thefts, especially if they stage multiple simultaneous events, which is highly likely. Presumably they don’t know that we have found their ship, so the police should be able to intercept the ship before it leaves. In fact, we may wish to consider a pre-emptive strike on the ship, although a raid now might make it difficult to get proof of crimes.”

Tro Lim’s mini-pad beeped and he quickly began flipping through screens. He stopped at one screen and stared at it, his jaw tightening.

“What’s wrong, Tro?” asked his master.

The padawan took a deep breath before replying. “I hacked into the port surveillance system like Aldeen showed me – that's what that alert was from. The ship just took off. I’m sorry, Master.” He looked stricken. “I meant to go back later tonight and see if I could put a tracer on it, but I thought it was more important to get the information to you as soon as possible.”

“It’s alright, Tro. You did the right thing." Bena frowned. "But if the ship has already departed, the gang must clearly have other escape plans established. That will make things much more complicated than simply setting an ambush at the port."

"But we can't ignore the possibility that they either have a second ship we haven't found or have arranged passage on other ships to get off-planet."

"True, but the important thing is that, thanks to Tro's good work, we now know that they are definitely here on Churbosh." Qui-Gon was already punching in a code on his police comm. "We need to get the word out."

*** *** ***

The impromptu meeting had been tense but professional. It was agreed to increase aerial patrols and immediately lock down the starport – no ships would be allowed to leave for the next ten days until all passengers and crew had been checked. Surveillance on the buildings and local transportation networks was increased, with emphasis on monitoring cameras for any hints of the known trainees. Explosives scanners were discreetly sent out to check every floor of the hotel during the night. Guards at every external and internal checkpoint were alerted to have at least two people separately verify identifications of anyone entering or leaving the building and all packages and supplies were inspected.

Qui-Gon could feel the tension in the air as he made his mid-day round. The increased security on top of the eagerness and last minute preparation anxiety for both wedding and treaty signing was putting everyone on edge. From a balcony overlooking the wedding ballroom, he saw jittery people and heard angry shouts at clumsy workmen. He glanced at the huge upper windows that flooded the room with sunlight and frowned – if there were any explosions that would likely mean a lot of broken glass. His Jedi comm vibrated and he raised it to his face.

"Aldeen here. Just finished talking to Chief Raw’vyt's people. So far, no explosives found, which doesn't mean there aren't any if they were shielded well enough. Lots of grumbling about delays for checking IDs. There were two people in line to get in this morning, one in housekeeping and the other one of the caterers, who suddenly skipped out when they saw the guards doing the extra checks. Unfortunately, they both escaped."

"Well, two less to worry about, I suppose. Still three hours until the wedding procession begins, but the guests will be allowed into the seating areas at fourteenth hour, so things will start getting noisy."

"Right. Anything new from the others?"

"Tro says things are quiet outside the hotel, but Bena is still trying to track down a Force signature she felt a half hour ago. I'm going to go up a floor and find a quiet place so I can scan for Force indicators."

"Very well. I'll stay on the ground level and check on the negotiators and wedding party."

Qui-Gon put his comm back on his belt. He nodded to grim-faced guards as he passed a stairwell door on his way upstairs. On the next floor, he settled into a supply closet and closed his eyes.

It took fifteen minutes, but at the end of that time, Qui-Gon was certain that he had identified at least three different Force signatures and a possible fourth. Mostly unpolished and quite possibly careless, he suspected they were trainees as there was almost no attempt at shielding. The fourth was more elusive but felt indicative of self-confidence rather than carelessness.

As he stood and stretched, Qui-Gon felt a sharp prickling between his shoulder blades for a moment. He held his breath as he tried to capture the Force sending that had left an itch behind. It was a feeling he'd had more often than he cared to remember.

"Damn." Qui-Gon took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "Something's not going to go well today."

He set off to track down his prey.

Two frustrating hours later, Qui-Gon and Bena were in the lowest bowels of the building.

"Well, we know how at least some of them got inside." Bena glared at the open trash chute door as Qui-Gon untied the two unconscious kitchen staff members. Both had been stripped of uniforms and IDs.

"They've certainly been on the upper levels. Found at least two guards on remote stairwells who don't remember letting people through at the same time there are lapses in the security camera footage. And those Force signatures have been moving fast and erratically."

"Yeah, I feel like a carhound chasing its tail."

"I know that feeling. I thought I had one of them spotted on an outer wall, but by the time I got to a window there was nothing to see."

Bena turned to Qui-Gon. "You don't suppose they've figured out we're here, do you?"

"Hmmm… there is that possibility. We've all been shielding heavily, but they might have gotten lucky or perhaps one of them is particularly sensitive to Force indicators. Worst case, they were able to bribe somebody on the security teams. I think it best we return to the upper levels."

One ballroom was almost full as the final wedding guests and dignitaries filtered in and took their seats. The delegations, especially the females, sparkled in clothing and jewelry that were only a preview of the wealth that would be exhibited at the parties large and small over the next few days. The Jedi had taken their stations – Tro was outside the building, Bena was lurking on the fourth floor where the most lucrative financial targets were, Aldeen was on one side of the main floor and Qui-Gon was on a balcony overlooking it.

Qui-Gon scanned the floor, making sure both Tuuron and Gacsel had finally sat down after circulating for most of the last hour. At least they had taken his guidance about sitting on opposite sides of the room so it would be harder for a single assassin to take them both out. He kept glancing at the large windows as the Force poked at him several times. There were a dozen huge panes, each set in a wide frame, probably strengthened with durasteel but looking like native wood.

The room grew quiet as the ministering official stepped up on a dais beneath the bank of windows. Music gradually swelled as the groom took his place in front of the dais and turned to look at the back of the room. The bride and her attendants emerged and began the long march down the central aisle.

Qui-Gon scanned anxiously across the length of the room again and again. There was a Force signature somewhere above him, but he could see nothing. He quieted his pulse and breathing.

The bride was almost at the dais when Qui-Gon caught a tiny flash halfway up the wall of windows. He instinctively threw up a Force shield as a string of explosives in the central frame shattered glass and metal, then shoved the shards aside and out. As he spared a moment to hope that the security boundaries had been enforced and there was no carnage on the street below the deadly shower of glass, there was a high-pitched buzzing sound.

Two silvery drones flashed in through the new openings in the wall. Red fire spit from their noses and began raking the screaming crowd.

Hands held high, Qui-Gon Force-grabbed the drones. He jerked the front ends up so they were firing into the ceiling as he flung them as hard as he could into the front wall. The drones hit with a loud crunch before the twisted carcasses slid down to the floor.

Qui-Gon leapt down and landed near the center of the floor. He spared one glance to ensure Aldeen had Gacsel safely secured before turning toward the Hugyt delegation. He pushed through panicked people and knelt beside the moaning figure.

"Tuuron, where are you hurt?"

The councilor rolled onto his back with a grimace and gasp. "My arm…"

Qui-Gon swiftly cleared the tattered scraps of parasilk to reveal a raw burn that covered most of the upper arm. It was clearly painful but not life-threatening. He looked up and recognized several members of the Hugyt security team, pointed at one of them.

"You, get Councilor Tuuron to the medical facility. Keep him surrounded and stay alert. There may still be assassins in the building."

The officer nodded and within seconds the largest member of the team had the councilor in his arms and the entire group was bulling through the crowd toward a side door.

Qui-Gon cut through the stream of people trying to exit the ballroom, pushing and shoving his way as other security teams tried to begin restoring order in the evacuation.

Aldeen looked up from his comm as Qui-Gon reached him.

"Gacsel will be fine. Took some bad bumps and bruises in the first panic, but he's already being moved to a secure room."

"Good. Tuuron is on his way for medical treatment – blaster burn to his arm, but he'll live. Bride and groom?"

"They were so close to the front the drones missed them on that initial pass. They're also on their way to the secure room."

"Good." Qui-Gon looked up. "There's still a Force signature up there. I'll try to track that if you'll find Bena and see what's going on."

Aldeen nodded and turned to head for the nearest stairwell.

Qui-Gon took a moment to calm himself as he sought for the Force signature. There! Heading across the floor above toward a maintenance shaft. He was halfway across the room when a scream in the Force staggered him.

:: HELP ME! ::

Qui-Gon stopped, shook his head. That had come from outside the building. He was sure of that much. He looked up at the ceiling again. He ought to be tracking down the assassin.

A quiet whimper of wordless pain in the Force.

Qui-Gon turned and ran for the hole in the wall where a bank of windows had been.

*** *** ***

Two blocks down and one over brought Qui-Gon to the mouth of a dark alley. He thought he heard a voice and took his lightsaber off the utility belt hidden beneath a long civilian coat. He carefully slipped into the cover of some large trash bins.

"Did you get the jewels?" demanded a harsh voice.

"No." There was a ragged cough and a mutter Qui-Gon couldn't catch.

"You had the easiest job of anybody, you sorry little idiot. We even took care of that stupid Jedi for you."

Qui-Gon had a flash of alarm – were they talking about Tro?

"I'm done."

"You're done when we say you're done. Your next dose is just half – we'll see how you like that." There was a sadistic snarl in the second voice, a deep, ringing one.

"Don't care anymore." Another cough.

"We'll see how much you scream tonight when you get none at all." Deep voice again. "Maybe with a little extra persuasion for mouthing off and for costing us thousands of credits in rare jewels." There was a slap of flesh on flesh and a pained grunt.

Qui-Gon's hand tightened on his 'saber as the Force poked at him.

"Fuck you, Tak. I won't steal for you again."

There was a thud and the sound of a hard collision.

"Tak, just get rid of him. He's used up… no fucking good for anything now."

"Yeah, you're right. We can still salvage the goods from the hotel heist." There was a disdainful snort. "You and your bleating about those precious Jedi were getting on my nerves anyway, you stupid bastard. You don't deserve wasting my time with a lightsaber." There was the sound of a holster being unsnapped.

Qui-Gon leapt out, lightsaber whooshing into life, and charged.

A blaster belched fire as it swung down, then jerked around. Two lightsabers and two blasters filled the air with deadly energy trying to converge on Qui-Gon. He fought them off savagely, maneuvering them away from the body lying twisted among the trash. He disarmed one, the shorter of the two men in nondescript hooded cloaks, just as a new blaster fired from the end of the alley. Two swoops flashed by, forcing Qui-Gon to roll away or be run over. When he looked up, the alley was empty.

A low moan grabbed Qui-Gon's attention and he scrambled over to its source.

The boy was thin, longish russet hair slicked down with blood on the left side as he lay curled on his right side. It looked like the blaster had raked near enough to cause bloody furrows on his left arm and leg and a red stream trickled from his nose and mouth.

Thinner than his picture, dark circles under his eyes, but recognition still came immediately. Obi-Wan Kenobi, taken almost a year ago on his way to the agricultural center on Femses.

Qui-Gon made sure Kenobi was still breathing and there were no major internal injuries before gently putting him on his back.

Kenobi winced and gave a low moan. "Hurt… so much…"

"It's alright. You're safe now."

Gray-blue eyes opened, blinked as he grimaced. "Who…"

"I'm Master Jinn, a Jedi."

"Tried to be good… sorry… sorry I failed… tell them I tried…"

The light faded from Kenobi's eyes as a tear fell sideways through the blood and dirt on his face.

"No, don't leave," whispered Qui-Gon. The Force was practically pounding on him to save the boy, he must save the boy.

Qui-Gon reached for the fading light inside Obi-Wan before it could wisp into darkness. Eyes closed, oblivious to his surroundings, he attached himself to the faint dimness and began pouring his own Force energy into the link.

Live.

Live for the Force.

Live.

Live for the Light.

Over and over, Qui-Gon poured his litany of hope and demand into the connection he had formed.

Live.

Live for the Force.

Live.

Live for the Light.

Live… for me.

Qui-Gon wasn't even aware when the prayer changed. He only knew he was doing what was right, what was needed, what the Force demanded.

Eventually, it was enough.

*** *** ***

Two days later, the Jedi, back in their robes, sat together in a hospital room. In one bed lay a small, silent figure hooked to tubes and monitors. Qui-Gon was slumped in a chair next to the bed with his arms crossed and long legs stretched out. Tro Lim perched on the other bed, bandages around his head and left hand. Bena and Aldeen were in the other two visitor chairs.

"Well, the Council is not going to be pleased with this cock-up." Bena snorted. "I know I'm not. All that work and they got away, taking almost a million credits' worth of artifacts and jewels with them. We still have no clue how they escaped or where they're going next." She glanced at Tro. "Not to mention ambushing my padawan and trying to drop a flyer on him."

"We did prevent the assassination of the key players. Both the wedding and the treaty signing have been rescheduled for two days hence. Rather than taking it amiss, I have the impression that both the Szoom and Hugyt delegations are incensed and treating this as a 'how dare you' event." Aldeen sighed. "I am truly sorry about the other thirteen deaths and the death of Trainee Iven, however."

Bena had found Betfij Iven in the hotel, interrupting the boy and two others in the midst of removing rare art objects. She had chased them up onto the roof. The two unknowns had used a projectile cable to get across to an adjacent building, but Iven had seemed to panic, was blasted by members of the rooftop security team and had fallen to his death. He was the most recent apparently involuntary inductee into the thieves' gang.

"At least now we know the gang IS using drugs and what those are," ventured Tro.

A priority toxicology screen had revealed that both trainees had high levels of exceptionally addictive drugs in their systems.

"Good to know as it validates part of our theory about how they operate." Bena's expression softened a little as she glanced at the still figure. "Going to be a difficult recovery for poor Kenobi, though. He's probably been on it for almost a year and that's some very nasty stuff. Did the doctors give you a prognosis for when we might be able to talk to him?" She raised an eyebrow. "Qui-Gon?"

"Hmm?" Qui-Gon blinked a few times as he reluctantly dragged his attention back to the conversation. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Doctors? Kenobi? When can we talk to him?" Bena narrowed her eyes. "And while you're at it, what in the Force is going on with you and Kenobi? You've been remarkably distracted ever since we found you with the boy in that alley."

"Medical prognosis, right." Qui-Gon slowly turned his head to look at the pale face of the rescued trainee. He probed slightly at the low hum in the back of his head, wondering yet again just what he had done. "No major internal issues or broken bones. Physical injuries were not as bad as initially thought and will heal over the next few tens, blood loss, cuts, bruises, slight concussion. There is some malnutrition, but they think that might be due more to loss of appetite from the drugs rather than withholding of food. He is in surprisingly good physical condition, as if he has been exercising extensively very regularly." Qui-Gon paused before shifting his gaze to Bena. "Drug withdrawal will be painful over the next several days and they want to keep him heavily sedated. There is no guarantee that there was or will not be damage to his memory."

"And his Force connection?" asked Aldeen softly. "Can you tell us anything about that?"

"Yes." Qui-Gon sighed as he sat up, then turned to put a hand on Kenobi's arm.

"And?" Bena started to continue, then stopped and looked back and forth between the master and trainee. "Qui-Gon, what happened out there?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi was dying when I got to him. I heard him say he was going to quit, not steal any more for them. I stopped the two beings who were about to kill him, but his spirit was near broken from his ordeal. The Force was very insistent…" Qui-Gon swallowed hard as he trailed his fingers lightly across Obi-Wan's forehead. "It was not his time to join the Force. I pulled him back, gave him my strength to fight for life, for the Light."

"Wait a minute." Dawning comprehension made her draw a sharp breath. "Did you… did you bond with him?"

Qui-Gon stood up. "There is some kind of bond between us. I can feel it. I will confess that I do not fully understand the nature of this thing. It feels right in the Force, but it is not the same as the training bond I had with my former padawan." He raised his head. "I will, of course, continue my duties on this mission, but I now have an additional responsibility to the boy. I cannot neglect his care, and not just because he is now our best link to the gang."

"Understood." Bena gave a wry smile. "But I am glad I don't have to be the one to explain this to the Council."

*** *** ***

The next five days were a mind-numbingly tedious grind through hours of watching video, examining security tapes, questioning witnesses, tracking down leads and taking a few hours off to ensure there were no disturbances for the wedding and treaty signing for Hugyt and Szoom. They were able to build a partial picture of what had happened – on their earlier trips, gang members must have found a way to plant the explosives, scope out ways in and out of the hotel through maintenance shafts and back service passages, create hiding places and bribe some people most likely to have access to either the spaces or information about security procedures. Several beings had come up missing or dead after the thefts and bombing - the team speculated they had been among the ones to receive bribes. They were fairly sure there were at least four small groups involved from the gang and they had used separate escape routes, including one by way of the sewer system if the lingering Force indicators were correct. They had not located the Jamus Twell, but that didn't mean the outlaws were necessarily still on the planet despite the rigorous screening of outbound passengers and cargo ships.

One bright spot was that some of the ubiquitous surveillance cameras and drones had caught images of at least three of the older missing trainees in addition to Kenobi – Puchen Jdoret, Chaxic and Als-Dam Weven. They were usually accompanied by at least one other being, so they had some idea of size and a few blurry faces. Added to what Qui-Gon had heard and seen in the alley, they had a bit better profile of two of the unknowns. Each night, Qui-Gon stayed in Obi-Wan's room, but the boy was heavily sedated and he had no Force contact with him except the muted hum now resident in his head. He was still trying to understand what drove him to form the bond and where that rash action was going to take him, but his meditations were not proving very helpful except for a mild glow of approval from the Force.

It was late in the evening and the team had gathered in the secure room that had been set up in the medical building, one floor below the patient wards. Scattered remnants of a meal littered a side table and a large urn of tea was half empty.

"Alright, definitely at least four distinct actions. And we all agree they probably went in four different directions, headed out of the city immediately and likely had preplanned hideaways." Aldeen looked around at the nodding heads. "If the reports from the farmers and cargo drivers are correct, they went to remote areas and were picked up by small shuttles, maybe or maybe not the same one."

"Meaning they're offplanet and Force knows where they headed." Tro was nursing a cup of tea, his expression gloomy. "And they've almost certainly changed the ship's transponder again."

"Right. We have learned a lot more about how they operate, though." Bena was staring thoughtfully at a star map projected on one wall. "I think we've been underestimating the size of this group. To pull off four jobs, operate their ship and retrieval operations… maybe even a base of operations somewhere else… yeah, I'm thinking it's definitely more than just the known trainees and a couple of disgruntled Force users who left the Order. People are the first thing I want to talk about when Kenobi is able. Any projections on that yet, Qui-Gon?"

Qui-Gon looked up from the datapad he was studying. "He's having severe physical reactions to withdrawal - shaking, sweating, racing heart, muscle cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. The doctors have been keeping him on heavy sedation with, hopefully, medications that won't make anything worse. They started a gradual reduction today, but there will almost certainly be emotional and psychological issues from both the drugs and his imprisonment. We may not be able to press him for information until he stabilizes."

"I understand. Very well, let's finish what we can tonight and regroup tomorrow. For once, I'd like to get more than a couple of hours sleep."

*** *** ***

Sleep would not come for him, so Qui-Gon rose from the spare bed and relieved the nurse who was keeping watch over the silent boy, who had been placed on his side to prevent choking if he vomited.

Qui-Gon slowly paced the length of the room. Occasionally, Kenobi would twitch or a monitor would beep. The silence was oppressive in the low light. Qui-Gon shook his head – just what in all the hells of Horven did the Force want him to do now?

A low moan stopped Qui-Gon in his path. He hurried to Obi-Wan's side as he jerked, then began coughing. Qui-Gon grabbed a pan as Obi-Wan spewed up what little he had in his stomach. He held the boy in his arms until his dry heaves finally subsided. Qui-Gon propped up the pillows, put Obi-Wan down and used a wet cloth to wipe his mouth and face.

The nurse hurried back into the room with the night doctor. They swiftly checked Obi-Wan's vital signs and monitors; only when they were sure the boy was alright would they leave him alone with the Jedi master, with a reminder that they were right down the hall.

Qui-Gon sat in the bedside chair and waited.

Obi-Wan was still sitting propped up on the pillows, pale, eyes half-closed. His breathing was slow but steady. The tip of his tongue peeked out for a second as he turned his head.

"Where… am I?" His voice was raspy and weak.

"We are in the main medical facility on Churbosh. You are safe here." Qui-Gon kept his voice soft and reassuring. "You are safe with me."

Obi-Wan seemed to consider those words as he watched Qui-Gon. "Jedi…"

"Yes. I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn. I am here on Churbosh with three other Jedi tracking the criminals who kidnapped you."

A shiver went through the boy's entire body as he squeezed his eyes closed. Qui-Gon put a hand out and rubbed his arm. "They are gone. They can't hurt you anymore."

"Everything aches…" Obi-Wan opened his eyes.

"You are suffering from drug withdrawal. It will take some time to completely purge them from your system."

"Oh. Right." Obi-Wan was silent for a while. He stared up at the ceiling and his hands clenched as he whispered, "I did bad things. Am I going to be punished?"

"No, Obi-Wan. It wasn't your fault."

"I…should have been stronger." A tear escaped and began trickling down the side of his face. "They were right. I didn't deserve to be a Jedi."

Qui-Gon could feel the wrench of pain over their bond and had to swallow his anger at what had been done to the boy. He wiped the tear away and gathered the boy in his arms.

"No, Obi-Wan. You were and are strong in the Force. You didn't give in to them. Never forget that."

Qui-Gon held the boy the rest of the night even after he drifted off back to sleep. The bond between them spiked with pain and anxiety, with flickers of both even in his slumber. Qui-Gon's heart was heavy. What WAS he going to do with this damaged trainee?

*** *** ***

Obi-Wan woke briefly in the morning as the doctor did his morning checks, long enough to take some sips of water before drifting off again. The doctor was very encouraged by the boy's faster-than-expected progress over the last twenty-four hours and felt it was now safe to significantly reduce the calming drugs. Qui-Gon left to return to work after getting the doctor's assurance that he would be notified if anything changed.

The team met again after lunch. There was a feeling growing that there was little more productive work to be done on Churbosh, but there was also a reluctance to leave the planet without a reasonably clear destination.

Qui-Gon was sipping tea, listening to the arguments back and forth, when his bond sparked and zinged with a cascade of anxious lights. He was already on his feet when his comm chirped.

"Master Jinn, I think you'd better get up here quickly." It was the doctor attending to Obi-Wan. "Somehow the word has gotten out that the Kenobi boy is starting to come around. I've got people from the police and social services trying to claim him."

"On my way." Qui-Gon flung a few brief words of explanation to the others as he ran out the door.

There was a police officer outside the door to Obi-Wan's room, but he almost fell over himself scrambling to get out of the way of the clearly irate Jedi master.

Inside the room there was barely controlled chaos. A doctor and two large orderlies were standing around Obi-Wan's bed, three police officers were arguing with the doctor and two civilians. Obi-Wan himself was clearly awake, but was huddled under the sheet and his agitation was hitting the bond hard.

"SILENCE!" roared Qui-Gon.

The room was so quiet the medical monitor's beeping sounded like a klaxon alarm going off in comparison.

"I am Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn. You," he pointed to the doctor, "what is going on here?"

One of the policemen started to speak until Qui-Gon's icy glare convinced him that was definitely not a good idea.

"I was checking my patient when these policemen and the representatives of the Child Protective Services arrived. They both wanted to establish a claim to Kenobi. I called two orderlies to help maintain order."

"Kenobi is alright?"

"Better than he was yesterday, certainly, but this uproar is not helping his recovery."

Qui-Gon nodded, then pointed to the police officer with the most stripes on his collar. "Why are you here?"

"This boy is a criminal suspect. He was caught on surveillance cameras in the area where an attempted theft took place and is believed to have information about the gang members who killed thirteen people, stole a million credits worth of goods and injured many other people. I'm taking him into police custody so we can interrogate him."

"What proof do you have that he is a 'criminal suspect'? Are there any witnesses beyond a picture in a hallway? Were any stolen goods found in his possession?"

"Well, um…" Under Qui-Gon's steady stare, the officer shuffled his feet. "I don't know."

"And you? What is your purpose here?"

A heavyset woman with a hard jaw spoke. "My colleague and I are here to protect this young person from the police. The law clearly states that they cannot interrogate anyone under the age of majority, which is eighteen here, without a custodian being present. It is my understanding that the boy is only fourteen and has no family here, which means we are also required to take him into OUR custody to ensure his well-being."

"Let me explain a few things to all of you." Qui-Gon's voice was ebony silk over a steel blade. "Obi-Wan Kenobi is not a criminal nor is he lacking a family. He is a member in good standing of the Jedi Order. He was kidnapped, taken from us against his will. My team and I have been working to recover him and other stolen trainees from the criminal gang that took him. This is a galactic investigation, under authority of the Senate itself, not a local matter." He slightly raised one eyebrow and dropped his voice half an octave as he rumbled slowly, "None of you have jurisdiction in this matter. I will brook no interference with either Jedi internal affairs or our investigation. Now, get out."

Clearly no one was willing to brave the wrath of the looming Jedi master. There was a rush to the door, including the two orderlies. The door swooshed shut behind the last of them in only seconds.

"Sweet Force! That was awesome!"

Qui-Gon turned to find that the other Jedi had quietly slipped into the room. Tro Lim was grinning and the other two had smiles. He nodded to them, took a deep breath and let it out slowly to release his own tension.

"Obi-Wan, how are you?"

Obi-Wan sat up in the bed and looked around. He licked his lips before speaking. "Still pretty fuzzy, Master Jinn, and things still hurt, but not so bad as before." He swallowed. "Did you mean that, sir?"

"Mean what?"

"I'm, uh, still in the Order?"

"Of course."

"I guess I'm kind of confused. They sent me away from the Temple. Why would anyone care about me?"

"Obi-Wan, you were simply given another way to serve the Order. We care about all of our members, wherever and however they serve. That's why we've been trying to get you and the others back." Qui-Gon pointed. "Master Bena, Senior Padawan Tro Lim, Knight Aldeen and I have been working to find you for several months."

"Oh." Obi-Wan still looked very uncertain and anxious. There was a light sheen of sweat on his face. "I don't feel much like a Jedi. I did a lot of bad things."

Qui-Gon sat on the bed and took one of Obi-Wan's hands. "Did you ever deliberately hurt anyone?"

"I don't think so... I don't remember everything. When you wouldn't do what they wanted, they would take the drugs away until it hurt real bad, then they'd stick you again. And they'd hit you."

Very softly, Qui-Gon asked, "Did you ever lose faith in the Force itself?"

"No, sir." Obi-Wan shook his head. "That… that was only thing I had left, especially after I lost Miq." He shivered a little and wiped his nose with the back of his free hand. "What's going to happen next?"

"We need to ensure that you recover from your ordeal. That is a high priority." Qui-Gon gave Obi-Wan's hand a little squeeze.

Bena had moved to stand on the other side of the bed. "We do understand that things were very difficult, but we have to find the people who did this. THEY were the ones who did truly bad things." Her voice was sympathetic. "Will you help us with our mission?"

"Of course, Master Bena." Obi-Wan raised his head, although shakily. "Tell me what you need me to do and I'll try to help."

"Very good, Obi-Wan. Rest for now and let the doctor examine you. I will be back soon, alright?"

"Yes, Master Jinn."

*** *** ***

The Jedi went back to the secure room to plan.

"I asked the doctor to let us know what additional medical treatment Obi-Wan needs," said Qui-Gon. "He's throwing off the drugs faster than expected, which the doctor thinks might be due to his good physical condition, but he's still weak and may not be able to respond to extended questioning yet."

"We'll prioritize the questions we want to explore. I believe the highest priorities are identifying as many of them as we can and getting anything he can provide about where they might have gone." Bena was already pulling up her datapad to start listing possible queries.

"Are we going to split up and take Kenobi back to Coruscant?" asked Aldeen.

"We will likely need to go separate directions to follow leads, but I want to keep him with us if possible." Qui-Gon was still standing, poised to go back upstairs.

"He didn't mention the bond you share with him. Do you think he is aware of it yet?"

"I suspect not, but I will talk to him about it today if he doesn't bring it up on his own. I strongly suspect he and I will both need to explore that bond to better understand the nature of it. That is a major reason I'm reluctant to let him go back to the Temple unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Understood. Both cabins on our ship have double bunks, so there's room for him. Why don't you go back while we sort out what we need to here?"

"I will. Thank you, Aldeen."

Back in the room, Qui-Gon conferred first with the doctor. At least two more days in the hospital was the recommendation, assuming Obi-Wan could eat, drink and walk by that time, with a warning that the boy would need further healing for at least a few tens physically, and significant help for possibly many tens dealing with the emotional and psychological aftermaths. The Jedi acknowledged the information and assured the doctor that appropriate care would be provided.

Obi-Wan was sitting propped up on pillows. He was pale with dark shadows still under his eyes, although not so pronounced as when Qui-Gon had first found him in the alley. He watched as Qui-Gon came over to sit in the bedside chair, but then dropped his eyes to stare at his hands.

"Hello, Obi-Wan. Do you feel able to talk a little?"

"Yes, sir." Obi-Wan glanced at the door. "Are the others coming?"

"In a while, if you're still up to it. They're working on their questions so they don't take too much of your time."

"Okay."

Qui-Gon sat for a few minutes, not quite sure what to say. He knew what the records had told him about this young trainee, his strengths, his weaknesses and that he had not been chosen as a padawan. Data files, however, didn't really translate well into this living person in front of him. The presence in his head wasn't being terribly helpful at the moment, either. He did notice that Obi-Wan kept shooting surreptitious little glances at him.

"Is there anything you would like to ask me?" Qui-Gon tried to keep his voice soft and welcoming.

"Uh, are you… are you going to send me back to Femses, sir?" Obi-Wan's hands clutched the sheet tightly and his breathing was shallow.

"That is not my intention. I plan to keep you with me when we leave Churbosh to pursue the gang." Qui-Gon had a sudden, unhappy thought. "I do need to be honest with you. The Council may want you to go to Coruscant for treatment. I must admit they have excellent facilities, but I want you to stay with me as we complete our mission."

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed and he bit his lower lip. After a few moments, he finally looked at Qui-Gon. "Why? You're a Jedi master. After I tell you whatever I can, I'm just nothing."

Qui-Gon gently pried loose one clenched hand and took it between his own. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are not now and never will be 'just nothing'. I may not know what they are yet, but I believe the Force has plans for you… plans for both of us, actually. You almost died in that alley out there, but the Force made me pull you back. We share a connection in the Force now." Qui-Gon stretched his hands, cradling Obi-Wan's hand flat in the middle. "Close your eyes, Obi-Wan. Relax and let the Force come to you. Seek within yourself and tell me what you find."

Obi-Wan looked doubtful, but dutifully did as he was asked. He leaned back, slowed his breathing, made a clear effort to force his body to release tension.

Qui-Gon waited patiently, making sure his portion of the bond was warm and open, but being careful not to push.

Eventually, Obi-Wan took a sudden deep breath. His mouth worked for a moment before he opened his eyes.

The glow of wonder and amazement blazing from Obi-Wan's eyes and lighting up the bond was all the reward Qui-Gon needed as he smiled back.

 

*** *** ***

“Master Jinn, what’s going on? I’ve got this incredible feeling that I’m connected to you somehow.” Obi-Wan had a confused smile as he shook his head.

“It’s called a bond, Obi-Wan. When I found you in the alley, you were leaving us. It was the will of the Force that I bring you back. The only way I could do that was to use some of my life energy to give you the strength to stay. We are connected now, although I’m not yet sure what that really means for us. But we are aware of each other, a link through the Force that lets us know what the other is feeling. We need to - ”

Qui-Gon’s words were interrupted by a discreet knock on the door, followed by the entrance of the other three Jedi.

“Obi-Wan, can you give us a few minutes to ask questions?” asked Bena.

“Yes, Master Bena. I want to help.”

“We’ll speak more of the bond later.” Qui-Gon released Obi-Wan’s hand. “Best to take care of business now.”

Sticking with specific queries, they were able to make significant headway before Obi-Wan drifted off to sleep again despite his efforts to stay awake.

Was there a specific base of operations? No, but there were a half dozen planets they visited more often than others.

Were all of the trainees still with the gang? No. Miq Gen had been one of the holdouts like Obi-Wan and he did not come back from a job, presumably dead. Puchen Jdoret and five other older trainees were all converted to gang members. Joulakortek and P’gan Ve were also still drugged regularly, but Ve was going downhill mentally after a couple of years of addiction and might not be kept around much longer if he couldn’t use the Force successfully.

Who were the ringleaders? They hit at least partial paydirt there. Based on the limited physical descriptions they had, Bena had found images of Jedi who had resigned from a service corps within the last ten years. Obi-Wan had positively identified five and then added that there were more people that were not in the set of images, more than a dozen altogether in addition to trainees. Some were active gang members, several were ship’s crew plus a few that Obi-Wan had seen but didn’t know their role. He added that only senior members and the most trusted of the converted trainees had lightsabers.

The team reconvened in their secure room after Qui-Gon assured himself that Obi-Wan was resting comfortably.

“That was an incredibly helpful session. I finally feel like we might have a solid shot at getting our hands on these bastards.” Bena was furiously typing up her notes but had a big smile on her face.

“Indeed, that was certainly a wealth of information.” Aldeen was looking thoughtful. “Qui-Gon, do you think it possible that they know Obi-Wan is still alive? As we saw earlier today, there does seem to be a number of locals who are aware that we have the boy.”

“It seems reasonable that they would try to find that information, especially if we plan to seek these people by name. They might already be changing the planets they frequent.”

“Yeah, they’re not stupid.” Tro Lim was making more tea at the side table, but he paused to face the others. “They might be very arrogant and self-confident, however. Until now, as far as we know, they’ve pretty much gotten away with every job they’ve tried. And they’d still need to maintain their contacts to get more work, although with this latest haul they may not feel the need to work again soon.”

“All good points.” Bena stopped typing. “We need to sort out our plan going forward. Whether or not they know about Obi-Wan, as a minimum, they DO know there are now Jedi hunting them. That could drive them further underground.”

They spent the next hour going over their data and discussing options before breaking for the evening meal.

“Qui-Gon, a word please.” Bena waved Tro onward and he followed Aldeen out.

“Yes?”

“The Council wants updated reports about what we’ve been doing and where we’re going next. I haven’t mentioned your bond with the boy in what I’ve sent so far. Have you?”

“Well, perhaps not explicitly. I believe I said I have developed a relationship with Obi-Wan which may help in his recovery.”

“Hmmm…" Her mouth twitched sideways. "You don’t think they’re going to like it, do you?”

“Given that I can’t explain very well why I did it, I doubt very much if wild enthusiasm will be among their reactions.” Qui-Gon gave a wry smile. “I know in my heart it was truly the will of the Force, but I can already predict what they’ll be saying about ‘that damned Jinn doing his own thing again’.”

Bena smiled back. “Right, seems I’ve heard about that sort of thing.” She turned serious. “They have a legitimate concern about the boy’s recovery, and I’m expecting them to order him to be returned to Coruscant for treatment. If you and Aldeen have to go back to do that, would your bond with Obi-Wan permit you to continue with the mission? Do we need to plan to go on without you on the team?”

“I don’t know enough about this bond yet to be able to determine if it would be harmful to be separated from Obi-Wan so soon after its formation. The only experience I have with any sort of bond is a training bond, but this doesn’t really feel the same. I certainly want to continue with the mission.” Qui-Gon gave a heavy sigh. “I don’t suppose putting it off will make things easier. I’ll update my report after Obi-Wan is released by the doctor and we’ll see what comes back.”

“Very well. I’ll hold off my next report until then as well.”

*** *** ***

The next day, the team was able to put additional questions to Obi-Wan. They learned more about the operations the gang had carried out and how they lived. The drugs they used on reluctant trainees left them able to function physically and use the Force, albeit with a bit of a buzz – it was only when the drug was withdrawn that pain resulted. The leaders didn’t seem to completely trust the ‘converts’, which meant that they were rarely allowed to work totally on their own. Everyone trained often, whether physical conditioning or on Force skills. Obi-Wan grudgingly allowed that he had improved his Force skills, but the focus was always on whatever might be useful for committing crimes.

The day after, Obi-Wan was released from the medical facility with a file on follow-up care. Qui-Gon found him some civilian clothes that approximated a Jedi uniform and had him move to the ship he shared with Aldeen.

The team’s ships were fully replenished and they prepared to depart. Bena and Qui-Gon had persuaded Temple authorities to release ‘missing persons reports’ on all of the trainees but to keep the identities of the ringleaders quiet. Bena and Tro were staying undercover to search some of the planets Obi-Wan had mentioned. Qui-Gon and Aldeen were going out openly on the trainee search, moving toward one of the Outer Rim planets the gang favored, in hopes they might draw their attention. Just before the ships left the starport, Qui-Gon and Bena sent their updated reports.

Back in space, things were very quiet aboard the ship now shared by three Jedi. Qui-Gon was appreciative of the respite as it allowed him to work with Obi-Wan. Although grateful for his rescue, Obi-Wan seemed to have a problem truly believing that he was still welcome in the Order. He suffered from anxiety and restlessness, apparently finding it hard to concentrate, so Qui-Gon kept their sessions short. He focused first on basic katas, simple things that Obi-Wan could do successfully to start rebuilding his self-esteem. In the evenings, they tried to explore the bond and meditate – this was the happiest time of the day for both of them as they slowly grew closer. In his private meditations, however, Qui-Gon was still torn by the question of where this relationship was going. Memories of problems with his last padawan still made him uncomfortable, however, and he found himself at times hesitant to engage quite as fully as he thought he should.

Three days out, the message Qui-Gon had been dreading arrived.

Return to Coruscant for evaluation and treatment of Trainee Kenobi. Report ASAP on nature of alleged bond.

Qui-Gon dragged his feet on the reply; after all, there was no date specified to have to be on Coruscant and their mission WAS important. He put what he could about the bond into a return message and sent it off as they continued on to their first destination in the Skundor system.

Stop on Skundor 4. No further travel authorized until en route healer has evaluated Trainee Kenobi and the bond with Master Jinn.

“Healer? We’re stuck out here until they send a healer?” Aldeen was leaning over Qui-Gon’s shoulder to read the message. “Just how pissed off are they?” Although he had not overtly protested when Qui-Gon didn’t turn the ship around to go home, he was clearly not happy with this latest development.

Obi-Wan was sitting in the second chair in the control room. “This is bad? Are you in trouble because of me?” He was biting his lower lip.

“Don’t worry, Obi-Wan. I’m responsible for whatever issues the Council thinks they have.” Qui-Gon smiled ruefully. “I’m used to being in trouble even when I’ve pulled miracles out of my arse to successfully complete a mission.”

That got a grin from Aldeen and a tentative smile from Obi-Wan.

*** *** ***

A day later, the Jedi arrived on Skundor 4. The very next morning, everyone was surprised when a small transport showed up at the port and Master Healer Dralozh appeared at the entrance of their ship. Tagging along behind the placid, rotund master was a senior padawan healer from an avian species.

"Good day. It is nice to see you, Master Jinn, Knight Aldeen." Dralozh bowed. "This is my padawan, Kawb."

Kawb stepped to one side and bowed, his crest feathers of gray and muted blues whispering lightly.

Both Jedi returned the bow as Obi-Wan hovered uncertainly in the passageway behind them.

"Well met and welcome to our ship." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. He knew the healer slightly from a few previous mandatory check-ups over the years; he was primarily a soul healer but also a fully qualified master healer. The man had always vaguely reminded him of a taller, rounder version of Yoda with brown skin and better grammar. "I must admit we were not expecting to see you so soon. Skundor is almost six days out from Coruscant."

"Then it is a good thing I was not on Coruscant, isn't it?" Dralozh smiled, one large, pointed ear twitching a bit. "We were only a few systems over, assisting in a combined Agricultural and Medical Corps recovery mission after a civil war. I was asked to pop over here to chat." He tilted his head. "Is there somewhere we could perhaps sit down?"

"Of course." Qui-Gon realized he had been unconsciously blocking the entrance. He gave in to the inevitable. "We can use the common room."

"If I'm not needed, I'm going out to work on our mission." Aldeen waited the barest amount of time needed for acknowledgements from the healer and Qui-Gon before escaping.

In the small multi-purpose room, Qui-Gon pulled down the table/bench combination from the wall.

"Some tea, Healer Dralozh?"

"That would be a mercy. In fact," Dralozh dug through the large carry sack slung across a shoulder, "I brought my own blends, if you don't mind. Help yourself if there are any you find of interest." He handed over four small tins, dug a little further and pulled out a large tin and a datapad. "Brought some biscuits, too." He smiled as he put the tin on the table. "Kawb, if you would…?"

Kawb nodded, pulled another large tin from his own bag and set it on the table.

"And you must be Trainee Kenobi, yes?" Dralozh smiled at the boy, who had been fidgeting nervously. "May I call you Obi-Wan?"

"Of course, Master Healer." Obi-Wan bowed, his fingers tapping at the outer seam of his pants.

Dralozh made small talk for a while as they sipped tea and munched sweet biscuits. Mostly he rambled on about the work his friends in the AgCorps were doing with establishing fast-growing grain crops to get food supplies replenished against the coming winter.

Qui-Gon tensed a little as Kawb finally got out his own datapad while Dralozh licked sugary crumbs from a fingertip. He had to resist the urge to put a protective arm around Obi-Wan and pull him close.

"Ah, that was very nice. Now, what I would like to do first is talk to both of you about how you came together and what you have been doing since then. Then we can split into separate sessions for each of you."

Qui-Gon nodded. Obi-Wan inclined his head but mostly just stared down at the table and his barely touched cup of tea.

For the next fifteen minutes, Dralozh made vague noises and Kawb took discreet notes as first Qui-Gon and then Obi-Wan described how and why each had come to Churbosh, what they had been doing in the alley, and what each remembered of the events afterward.

"So, if I understand correctly, you have been overseeing Obi-Wan's recovery, and the two of you have been sorting out the new bond between you?"

"That is correct."

"Yes, sir. Master Jinn has been very helpful," added Obi-Wan. His tone was defensive.

"I don't doubt that. He is very skilled and experienced." Dralozh sighed. "I do find these gray ship interiors so enervating. It is a remarkably pleasant day outside and there is a park not far from here. Would either of you mind if we move our individual discussions to there?"

Obi-Wan twitched as he clearly waited for Qui-Gon to respond first. Once Qui-Gon had agreed, he mumbled an affirmative.

Qui-Gon secured the ship and sent a message to Aldeen to let him know. He was surprised to find that Kawb had somehow procured two-wheeled pedal conveyances. They each took one, quickly getting the hang of staying upright, and rode almost six kilometers to a large park. It was late morning by that point and getting almost to the edge of hot. They found a shady area with some scattered picnic tables and claimed one.

"And now, Qui-Gon, I need to speak to Obi-Wan first. Is this area satisfactory for waiting?"

"It is, Master Dralozh. Com me when you wish me to return."

Dralozh smiled and nodded as the three of them sat down. Obi-Wan was clearly still tense, his posture upright and rigid despite their recent exercise.

The park was quite large. Clumps of trees, bushes and flowers surrounded a small lake. A light breeze kept the temperature enjoyable despite the bright sunshine. Qui-Gon walked about a bit, feeling relaxed from the ride, until he found a relatively secluded spot among large trees and sat down. He went into a light meditation, monitoring his bond with Obi-Wan. He was pleased to note that the tightness and anxiety gradually changed to a lighter hum, not quite fully relaxed but noticeably less taut.

It was over an hour and a half before Qui-Gon's com chirped at him. He rose, stretched, then walked quickly back.

The other three were standing companionably by the table.

"Qui-Gon, welcome back. I was just about to ask Kawb to take Obi-Wan to the vendors' carts to get some lunch. Would you prefer to eat or to talk first?"

"Talk. I'm not particularly hungry."

"Very good. Kawb, it would be best if the two of you stay in the park, please. Obi-Wan, it was very nice talking to you. I'll be speaking to both you and Qui-Gon together again before I leave, so if you think of any more questions we'll have another opportunity to chat."

The young Jedi both bowed before turning to walk away. Dralozh waited until they were out of earshot before beginning his conversation with Qui-Gon.

They spoke for almost forty minutes. Dralozh was very good at pleasant, seemingly innocuous questions, but Qui-Gon still kept a wary reserve as he did his best to respond. He stifled his urge to ask questions about the outcome of Obi-Wan's session.

Dralozh set aside the datapad on which he had been taking unobtrusive notes. He put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on laced fingers.

"We have a very interesting situation here, Qui-Gon. I do not question your sincere belief that it was the will of the Force that caused you to create the bond you have with Obi-Wan. You have an exceptionally deep connection to the Living Force and what happened is very much in keeping with everything that I understand about you. There are, however, different sorts of bonds and I'm not sure I fully understand yet the nature of what we have here. It is therefore difficult for me to properly advise you about our next course of action." Dralozh sighed lightly as he set his hands down on the table and leaned forward slightly.

"I did NOT ask this of Obi-Wan. He is not at all ready for this sort of thing. You, however, are a mature and experienced adult with fully formed strength of mind and character. Would you be willing to let me enter your mind to examine the bond for myself? I will not go any deeper than absolutely necessary for this purpose."

Qui-Gon felt his shoulders tense and his face go into full 'neutral' mode. He hesitated a moment before replying. "You could simply order me to let you in."

"I find that approach to be often counter-productive." Dralozh leaned forward a bit more with a conspiratorial little quirky half-smile. His voice was soft as he continued, "I do so much prefer willing victims, you know."

Qui-Gon couldn't hold back the half-laugh, half-snort that escaped his lips. "The truth comes out." He shook his head. "How could I refuse such an enticing invitation, Master Healer?"

The two Jedi entered a light meditative trance, hands joined. Qui-Gon lowered his shields and simply relaxed, offering the bond for examination. Dralozh had a very light, deft touch and Qui-Gon was barely aware of his presence. The healer was in and out in three minutes.

"That wasn't so horrible, now was it?" Dralozh had a sly smile as he glanced up from making an entry in his 'pad.

"Well… alright, no, it wasn't."

Dralozh straightened, pursed his lips and looked at Qui-Gon for several seconds. "I don't believe the Council is going to be very happy about my report." He paused, tilted his head and lifted one eyebrow. "They are already displeased with you for not coming back immediately with the boy."

"When are they not displeased with me?" Qui-Gon smiled. "They don't like to hear that I consider the will of the Force more important than fusty old rules or that I disagree with their interpretations of the Code."

"I suppose their position is understandable, though."

Qui-Gon shrugged. "What enlightenment did you gain about the bond, if I may ask?"

"Oh, that. It is a form of life bond. Capabilities not fully developed, as yet, because it was formed involuntarily, at least on Obi-Wan's end." Dralozh rubbed at a spot between his eyes for a few moments. "You are a very powerful user of the Force, Qui-Gon. Part of you passed into Obi-Wan when you pulled him back from the edge, and he is partially anchored to your life force." He paused and drew a slow, deep breath. "I need to ask you some questions, Master Jinn."

"Of course."

"What are your intentions toward Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"Intentions?" Qui-Gon's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure I understand the question."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi is a trainee in the AgCorps. He is also recovering from a difficult experience for which he needs additional treatment. He will almost certainly need continued work on regaining his self-esteem and self-confidence. Obi-Wan is also a young Jedi very strong in the Force, albeit his strength is very much in the Unified rather than Living Force. You, Qui-Gon Jinn, are a Jedi Master on active duty in the midst of a difficult mission. The Force may have brought the two of you together, but what do YOU want? What sort of relationship, if any, do you want with Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Qui-Gon's jaw tightened. It was the question he had been asking himself for days with no clear answer. "You said we have a life bond. Is that not a permanent thing?"

"It is a form of life bond. It can lie somewhat dormant if you both choose to make it so, but you will also both feel a sense of… separation, longing, almost loss. Obi-Wan does not yet really understand the nature of this bond, although he seems very happy to have it. Because he did not consent to its formation, however, he can request that we attempt to remove it, which is what I suspect the Council would prefer. That is a difficult process, with no guarantees of complete success. If you both to decide to keep the bond, and continue to work together on it, it will strengthen and you will become much closer. Either path has difficulties."

"You seem to have reservations. Do you also have recommendations?"

"I do have concerns. Several. First, I am concerned about Obi-Wan's welfare and what sort of life he will be able to have." Dralozh looked directly at Qui-Gon, a challenge in his gaze. "Second, I am also concerned about you, Master Qui-Gon Jinn. You vowed that you would never take another padawan, but you are now bound to a young Jedi whose life, at least to some extent, is under your control and influence. What will those emotions that drove you to take that vow do to you and the boy? What do you intend to do, send him back to the AgCorps to make his own way? Or ask him to stay by your side, with no official purpose to his life and an uncertain future? What do you believe is best for Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

Dralozh put both hands flat on the table. "Master Jinn, you have not faced up to that decision yet, but do it now you must. If you do not, I am certain the Council will make it for you, and the AgCorps has already contacted them to ask when they are getting their trainee back."

Qui-Gon stiffened, his body frozen and a cold lump of lead in his stomach. The first sickening realization was that yes, he had been dancing around the decision, putting it off, and he was forced to finally admit that reluctance had much to do with his own fears of repeating the disastrous failure with his last padawan. He also had to admit that he had slammed shut the door to those emotions and never really opened it to examine those fears for years, despite all of Yoda's pestering. It took him a few minutes to digest those facts and make himself move on.

Dralozh waited patiently, his expression carefully neutral.

What was the real question here? Qui-Gon closed his eyes, reminded himself to keep breathing, and tried to center his thoughts.

The touchstone of his life was his belief in the Force and in following the will of the Force. The Force had brought Obi-Wan to him, bonded them together. What did that mean? What did the Force want? And did he have the strength to follow that will if it meant overcoming his own fear of failure?

Clearly, the easy path was to do nothing. The healer had done far more than imply that would mean Obi-Wan going back to the AgCorps, with or without the bond staying in place. But would it be selfish to try to keep him so he would not have to give up the bond that seemed to have already become part of him? And, loath as he might be to admit it, the young Jedi who was already becoming part of his life?

What was best for Obi-Wan, not him? Underneath his anxieties and issues from his past year, there was strength in the boy, a belief in the Force that had kept Obi-Wan alive and refusing to convert voluntarily to a life of crime that he knew was wrong. Did the Force want Qui-Gon to help Obi-Wan find a different path to serve the Force than the one he had been sent on?

Qui-Gon swallowed hard. He opened his eyes, drew a deep breath, let it out slowly. He knew the right answer, the only answer. It was up to him to find the courage and heart to make it happen.

"I believe," he said quietly, "that the Force brought us together for a reason. I want Obi-Wan to stay with me. I want to train him in the ways of the Force. If that is what he wants as well, I will do my best to make that happen."

"Even if that might mean that you end up being assigned to the AgCorps to stay with him?"

Qui-Gon had not thought of that possibility, but hesitated only a moment before firmly announcing, "Yes. If that is what it takes."

Dralozh nodded. "May the Force be with both of you on this journey you are about to undertake."

*** *** ***

Kawb came back quickly after Dralozh commed him. Both he and Obi-Wan were carrying bags.

"Brought you some lunch, Master." Kawb seemed to be in a cheerful mood. "Obi-Wan and I had a nice walk around the lake." He set his bag down on the table, then gestured to Obi-Wan.

"Uh, I picked out some things I thought you might like, sir." Obi-Wan gingerly put his bag in front of Qui-Gon and stepped back.

Qui-Gon opened it, pulled out two different meat rolls and some fruit. "That was very thoughtful, Obi-Wan. Thank you." He was pleased to see the shy smile his words elicited.

Dralozh was already digging into a bowl of thick soup and gestured to the two younger Jedi to be seated.

Kawb made small talk about birds they had seen as the masters finished their meal. Obi-Wan began fidgeting but kept silent, his eyes mostly on the table.

"Ah, that was very good." Dralozh opened a packet of waxed paper. "Cookies! Thank you, Kawb." He grinned. "You know me so well." Dralozh passed around the sweet, crispy wafers.

Dralozh finished a cookie and gave a sigh of satisfaction. "A good meal does wonders for the disposition." He looked at Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon with a half-smile that said he knew damned well the only thing that would improve their dispositions would be to get rid of him. "I promised that we would all have a chat together; it is time to do that now. I have been trying to understand what is happening with both of you so I can help you determine a path forward. Qui-Gon, it would be best if you start. I would like you to tell Obi-Wan what you have decided."

"Obi-Wan, Master Dralozh has determined that we have a sort of life bond between us. I believe it was the will of the Force that this happened and that our path forward lies together. I can make no guarantees how that path will turn out or where it will take us, and I suspect it is probably not the will of the Council that we stay together. But I do want us to stay together and I want to train you." He held up a hand to forestall Obi-Wan's words. "You do NOT have to do this if it is not also your wish. You did not ask for the bond, and the healers can attempt to remove it if you so desire, although there is no assurance that that is possible. No matter what you decide, you will remain in the Jedi Order. Before you make your decision, Obi-Wan, what questions do you have?"

Obi-Wan licked his lips as he looked first at Qui-Gon, then at Dralozh. "Master Dralozh, if I don't stay with Master Jinn, do I go back to the AgCorps?"

"That is my understanding, yes. They want you back."

"If I stay with you, Master Jinn, what am I? I mean, I'm too old to be a padawan."

"To be perfectly honest, I don't know." He bit back a sigh. "I will fight to keep you with me if that's what you want. I suppose it is possible they could send us both out to learn to plant things. Or perhaps we become something else altogether if that is the will of the Force. I'm prepared to take that chance."

Obi-Wan scratched the back of his head as he grimaced. "This is kind of confusing. I don't really know who I am or what I should be. I felt like the Jedi didn't want me when I got sent to the AgCorps, but I never got a chance to see what that was really like. Padawan Kawb has been telling me about all the good things he's helped them with, and I do want to do something useful." He looked almost apologetic as he turned toward Dralozh. "But it was like I was telling you, sir, that never really felt right… being sent away, I mean. What does feel right is this bond I have with Master Jinn. It's… it's amazing. And I believe him when he says he really does want me. I can feel it in my head."

Suddenly, Obi-Wan stood up and went to Qui-Gon. "I want to stay with you, Master Jinn. I want to learn to be a good Jedi." A determined look came over his face. "And I want to help you find the people who took me away so they can't do that to any more of our people."

Qui-Gon stood up in turn. "I accept your decision and am honored by your trust and faith. I will train you in the ways of the Force and we will move forward together on our path, wherever that takes us." He put an arm out and drew Obi-Wan into his side.

Dralozh cleared his throat. "Speaking of moving forward?"

"Yes, that is a very pertinent question. As you pointed out, I am involved in a mission. Obi-Wan is staying with me on that mission. What do I need to do to help him in his recovery from the drugs that were inflicted on him?"

"An interesting question, actually…"

"Master, with all due respect," said Kawb, his voice low and urgent, "I don't believe our orders will allow –"

Dralozh held up a hand. "Padawan, I appreciate what you are trying to do. However, we are healers. Our responsibility is to our patients and to the Force. In this case, based on what I have learned today, I believe the best course of action is to allow Obi-Wan to join Master Jinn as he continues to receive treatment. They will return to Coruscant eventually," he glanced pointedly at Qui-Gon, "and the entire situation will be reviewed again. But for now, in keeping with our duty to our patients, I am going to send you with them to continue Obi-Wan's treatment. I will take full responsibility for my decisions in my report."

Kawb started to speak, closed his mouth. Finally he simply bowed. "Yes, Master."

"I should have asked you first, I suppose." Dralozh smiled at Qui-Gon. "But I did notice that your ship had two cabins and only three occupants, so I assumed you have room for my padawan. I need to return to my duties with the recovery team, but I can assure you that, as a senior padawan who will soon be taking his trials, Kawb is quite competent and well-versed in the healing arts."

"Of course. We all have Obi-Wan's best interests in mind and will do what is necessary to take care of him." Qui-Gon had a very strong suspicion that Dralozh was supposed to have sent them packing back to Coruscant. He mentally revised his opinion of soul healers and resolved to find some particularly nice cookies to send this one. He tightened his arm a little more around Obi-Wan. "We greatly appreciate your help."

"I look forward to your success in your new partnership." Dralozh stood and bowed to both of them.

By the time Knight Aldeen returned to their ship that evening, he had a new roommate, a treatment regime for Obi-Wan had been laid out, and Master Healer Dralozh had left the planet.

*** *** ***

The next morning Kawb rose early to meditate, leaving the other three Jedi to linger over breakfast.

"They've definitely been here before. I found a couple of barkeepers who recognized several of the images and the port records show a ship of the right profile has been here at least a half dozen times over the last five years." Aldeen shook his head. "Nobody has seen them for at least eight months, however. And I didn't get any other bites whether I was being unobtrusive or obvious."

"Probably not a very productive place to continue looking, then. Obi-Wan, do you remember anything else about Skundor?"

Obi-Wan finished chewing his mouthful of cereal and put down his spoon. "No, sir. Few of us were let off the ship here. Mostly what I know is from conversations during training. I think they used this system for resupply and bar-hopping."

"Makes sense," said Aldeen. "It's not a very rich system. I doubt there would be anything here worthy of the type of job they seem to prefer." Aldeen sipped his tea as he watched Obi-Wan eat.

"You look like you have a question." Qui-Gon put down his cup.

"Well, yes. Since Obi-Wan is now at least somewhat officially part of this mission, how do we introduce him if we are not operating covertly? We can't call him your padawan."

Obi-Wan looked up from his bowl, then looked at Qui-Gon.

"A legitimate question. Hmmm…" Qui-Gon scrunched his eyes a bit. "We are bonded partners, so that is one approach. And in the records of the Order, I suppose his actual title is still listed as 'trainee'."

"How about just 'Jedi'?" asked Obi-Wan.

"Or student?" threw in Aldeen. "Most beings we're likely to run into would not know what a bond between Jedi is."

"We'll let the situation dictate the title. If there is official paperwork involved, we should use Trainee Kenobi, since that is trackable. In conversation, I think partner or student would do nicely. Does that suit you, Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, sir." Obi-Wan hesitated. "I should still use knight and master as your ranks, right?"

"That should be appropriate for most situations on this mission. We may need to include partner when we return to Coruscant so there is less confusion."

"Right. Force forbid anyone should think either of you is something you're not," said Aldeen dryly. "You're going to have enough trouble explaining this as it is."

"We'll cross those bridges when we get to them. For now, we have work to do."

*** *** ***

The next three tens were another dismal plod. Bena and Tro Lim had gone underground, sniffing around for news of the gang they were chasing, hoping to either exploit news of the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Churbosh or get wind of attempts to sell the artifacts. Qui-Gon and Aldeen visited planets where the gang had been, checking in with police and intelligence officials, ensuring they were very visible as they broadcast their search for the missing trainees. Neither approach seemed to be making much headway.

The four Jedi now residing on Qui-Gon's ship had come to a working arrangement. Aldeen focused on their mission, concentrating his research efforts on ship movements and the stolen artifacts; he also accompanied Qui-Gon on planet excursions. Qui-Gon had begun to develop a training plan for his new student, setting up a mix of physical activities such as katas, Force skills and online academic subjects Obi-Wan would have been taking whether he had stayed on Coruscant or started his new duties in the AgCorps. Kawb monitored Obi-Wan's physical and emotional progress, conducting periodic examinations and discussions, helping him counter occasional recurring bouts of anxiety, depression or insomnia and working on his self-esteem. Kawb also proved quite willing to help teach healing skills to all of the other Jedi in addition to helping Obi-Wan with courses such as history. Although it was never mentioned, Qui-Gon couldn't help feeling that Kawb was keeping a very discreet eye on him as well.

Two things happened every day. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan talked and meditated, learning more about each other and their bond. All four Jedi met in the evening to discuss the mission and continue to build the profiles of the Force-using gang members – Obi-Wan described every interaction he could think of and Kawb contributed insights on their personalities.

One thing did not happen at all. There were no messages directing Master Jinn or Trainee Kenobi to return to Coruscant, a situation for which Qui-Gon was very thankful. Whenever they stopped on a planet, he sought out interesting cookies and sent a package to Master Dralozh.

Aldeen came into the nightly meeting with a big smile, waving his datapad.

"Just got a report in from Bena. About four days ago, there was a dustup on Blerec, out near the edge of Middle Rim. Seems that many of those stolen Churbosh artifacts were fakes and the owners didn't tell anyone so they could collect the insurance money after the robbery. Our boys were trying to sell some of them and the prospective buyers, also bad guys, were very unhappy when their people figured out they were being given counterfeits. Word on the street is that weapons were drawn and there were casualties."

"Excellent news," said Qui-Gon. "That should be a definite blow to their credibility."

"Not to mention their bank account. Those artifacts were the biggest part of what they got from Churbosh."

"That's really gonna piss off Tigl and Tak." There was definitely a note of gloating enthusiasm in Obi-Wan's voice. "Arrogant bastards, both of them. Always going on about how good they were and how useless the Jedi are."

Tiglorin Jo and Taksen were the two senior leaders of the ring. Tigl was a former trainee who had resigned from the AgCorps as soon as he was of legal age. Tak had been a senior padawan who had failed his trials for advancement to knight.

"If I understand the group finances correctly, they relied on periodic high-value thefts to maintain their lifestyles, yes?" Kawb was thoughtfully caressing some of the feathers in his head crest. "Lots of credits in, but also lots of credits going out?"

"As far as I could tell," said Obi-Wan. "Most of the trainees were kept in four-person cabins on the ship and we never got much of anything in the way of luxuries, but the leaders, senior guys, and even Puchen always seemed to have really nice clothes, liquor and boasted about their whoring trips. All the other trainees who went over had nice stuff. I overheard Pilot Kenders several times complaining about the costs of running the ship, but Tak told him to shut up about that 'cause there were plenty of credits to be had out there." He shrugged. "Miq taught me that if you kept your head down during training sessions or on jobs, they tended to ignore you and said a lot of stuff or argued about things they probably shouldn't have let us hear." A shadow passed over his face at the memory of his dead friend.

Qui-Gon reached out and briefly squeezed his student's shoulder. "And we're very glad you've been able to provide us with so much information because you listened. That's one of the things a good Jedi does, listens and learns." He was rewarded with a small smile and nod.

"Kawb has an excellent point." Aldeen sat down and put his 'pad on the table. "If they were counting on the Churbosh job to replenish their funds and that's mostly fallen through, they might need to set up another theft sooner rather than later."

"Bena and Tro are in a better position than us to get information about potential new activities." Qui-Gon put his hands on the table. "I say we keep the pressure on from our end. If their credibility is already being questioned, knowing that Jedi are actively pursuing them might make people less likely to want to use them and they may have to set up their own job with less preparation than usual."

"I agree." Aldeen stood up. "I'll go change course for Blerec."

*** *** ***

The Force gang had likely been gone at least six days before Qui-Gon's group arrived, judging by the port records of ship departures. They were able to glean some interesting information from the local police, however. There had definitely been a street fight eight days prior and there had been patrols close enough to get there for the tag end of the action in a small warehouse – two of the policemen were able to confirm that they had seen lightsabers in addition to the ubiquitous blasters both groups had been using. There were no bodies, but pieces of artifacts had been recovered which Aldeen was able to confirm as having come from Churbosh. After having made official queries about missing trainees in several cities and making a show of investigating the site where the fight had taken place, the Jedi took copies of surveillance footage and returned to their ship.

As they discussed plans that evening, Obi-Wan went through the tapes.

"I feel like we're getting closer." Aldeen projected a map and they discussed what they knew of previous and possible locations where the gang had been and might go.

"There!" Obi-Wan looked up from his datapad. "These shots are from an alley outside the warehouse." He pointed to what was clearly a lightsaber, although the figure wielding it was in a hooded cloak. "The angle's not good, but that's got to be Tigl. He has this specific flourish that I saw him use when he was practicing."

"It's good to have confirmation," said Qui-Gon. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. Does anyone have more thoughts on where we should head next."

"Well…" Kawb sounded diffident. "I have been considering the profiles we've built."

"We'd like to hear your ideas. Your input has been appreciated on this mission."

"Thank you, Master Jinn," still formal after their month together, "it seems to me that the prime movers of the group are probably, at this point, angry, irritated, feeling frustrated and challenged. They need funds soon and typically favor high-value, easy to transport goods. They are confident in their ability to get around security systems. They most likely also feel that they need to do something difficult to rebuild credibility. Based on these criteria, I would recommend we consider either Prozis or Felktir as potential targets."

Aldeen was already initiating searches on his 'pad. "Ah, I see what you mean." He passed the device around. "Both planets are within their typical operating region. Prozis is having a decennial jeweler's convention – lots of rare and valuable items all being brought to the same building complex. Felktir, not jewels, but a distribution center for rare catalyst metals. I could see either one being appealing."

"Can you raise Bena or Tro? I'd like to know if they've heard anything about these."

Qui-Gon, Kawb and Obi-Wan looked for additional information on both planets as Aldeen put the call through using the comm unit he had linked to the ship's system. Finally a raspy voice answered.

"Damn, Aldeen, it's the middle of the frackin' night here on this misbegotten rock pile. I hope this is important."

"Qui-Gon here. Very sorry to wake you, but we need to find out if there's any street talk about our favorite gang possibly heading for either Prozis or Felktir."

"Wait a minute. How the Force did you hear about Prozis?" Bena was clearly ticked off. "That was supposed to be my big surprise for tomorrow. We spent a lot of hours drinking gut-wrenching alcohol to get that lead."

Qui-Gon was glad the call was voice-only so Bena couldn't see Aldeen's big grin. "Research and analysis, actually. It seems having our own resident padawan soul healer is quite useful for building actionable profiles once we obtained sufficient data."

Several muttered imprecations came over the comm. "Fine. Prozis, right. Word is there are some private buyers particularly interested in several items that only come out of very deep vaults for this big ten-year do. That's aside from all the other fancy sparklies. Tro and I think our boys have contracted for the job."

"That's excellent news and we are truly appreciative of your good work. Are you heading that way?"

"Yes. We have clearance to depart at sixth hour and should be there late tomorrow evening, planet time."

"Good. We're leaving as quickly as possible and should arrive a few hours ahead of you. I'm going to suggest that we all maintain a low profile, at least initially. I'll arrange a meeting with the local police and security for the convention."

"Alright. See you soon."

*** *** ***

Provis was famous throughout the sector for its hospitality industry. Although they were well-accustomed to handling very large conventions, neither the police nor the event security people had been happy to hear about the new threat to one of their premier gatherings. The twelve-day assembly was spread across a huge walled compound which included buildings dedicated to vendor booths, speeches, meetings, master classes, special exhibits, parties both indoors and outdoors, as well as hotels for participants. There were additional hotels outside the compound for overflow, vendor and staff personnel, not to mention the many local guest attractions.

Based on Obi-Wan's information, it was highly unlikely the gang would strike until the last few days. They liked to spend time casing every operation, and Bena's contacts had indicated the job was a late contract, so they would probably not be ready to move in immediately. The Jedi had asked for and received authority to investigate whatever they needed to and go wherever necessary.

Qui-Gon adjusted his hood as he and Obi-Wan walked casually among the crowds. All of the Jedi had adopted civilian garb, deeming visibility to be a liability in this particular instance. Kawb remained aboard the ship to monitor communications. Tro was at the spaceport looking for the gang's ship.

"Note the maintenance and service doors," Qui-Gon murmured. "Those are often weak points for intruder access. All too often support workers are almost invisible to the visiting populace."

"Yes, sir. They get taken for granted, right?" Obi-Wan was doing his best not to show too much excitement, but hadn't been able to help his fascinated stares when they had checked out the rarities on display behind transparisteel panels in their last building.

"That is a large part of it." Qui-Gon scanned for Force signatures as they strolled. He thought he felt some odd snippets of Force and was wondering if the senior gang members, at least, had improved their shielding.

A sudden painful spike across his bond with Obi-Wan almost made Qui-Gon stop in his tracks. He heard a gasp and expletive from his student.

"Whatever it is, keep walking. Don't call attention to yourself," said Qui-Gon sternly, keeping his voice low. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I saw Tigl." There was a combination of anger and a quiver of anxiety in Obi-Wan's voice. "It was definitely him, heading in the other direction."

"Can you still see him? Be very casual about looking around."

A frustrated grunt. "No, sir. He's gone."

"Let's head over there and sit down."

Qui-Gon steered them over to a small park-like area inside the compound. They found a quiet alcove where they could still observe the many beings wandering about or munching treats on what was clearly a working holiday for most of them.

A joint comm call quickly had all of the Jedi on. Qui-Gon reported the sighting.

"That confirms it then." Tro's link was scratchy. "I'm sure I've found the right ship. They've changed the transponder again, but we've seen the name before on planets they've hit. It's now going by 'Shawnar Belk'."

"I've been studying that model of ship, and I think I may have found a way to hack into their systems, at least to the extent that I can keep them from taking off," reported Aldeen. "I want to join Tro at the port and give it a try."

"Very well. Bena, you, Obi-Wan and I will continue surveillance here. Everyone remember to keep your shielding up."

There were no more sightings, though they stayed at the compound until late in the evening. Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan's initial burst of enthusiasm fizzle down into boredom as the day dragged on, and reminded himself that the boy was still only fourteen.

The entire team met on Qui-Gon's ship, which had been given a berth in a quiet back section of the huge starport. Bena's ship was parked almost a kilometer away in an area mostly reserved for small transports and freighters. It turned out that the gang's ship was in yet another section at the other end of the port.

"We're sure we've got the right ship?" Qui-Gon had claimed a position on the end of the table in their common room so he could stretch his legs.

"Definitely." Aldeen and Tro replied together, then Tro grinned and waved to the knight to continue.

"Tro remembered some specific physical characteristics from the last sighting and we both saw people leaving. They were mostly hooded, but Jdoret must be fond of floppy hats instead because we recognized him. I spent most of the day probing their ship systems. They've got one comm network that is very secure, probably what they use for their operations. However, they're not nearly so careful with some of their internal ship systems." Aldeen had an almost tigershark smile. "I've identified two different back doors so far that I can access remotely, one to shut down their engines and one that opens the airlocks. I'm still working on trying to get interior cameras and sound."

"When can you implement your back doors?"

"I'm finishing my software now and will need to run final checks to ensure I don't have glitches, but I expect to be finished and installed by tomorrow mid-morning."

"If we can stop their ship from leaving, can't we just go on their ship and capture them?" asked Obi-Wan.

"We don't actually know who is still on the ship at the moment. Tro, you told me you saw at least eight people leave?" Bena waited for her padawan's confirmation. "It's quite possible the only people still actually on the ship are crew."

"But Joulie and Ve are almost certainly still aboard. Tigl and Tak never took me and them off until they were almost ready to actually go in and do the job. And we didn't always go straight back after we got the goods." Obi-Wan chewed his lower lip a moment. "Okay… I guess I get it that we don't want to let them know we can ground their ship yet so they don't just scatter."

"You're right, we don't want to spook the ones who are probably holed up in the city. We need to keep up the surveillance. Kawb, did the building plans arrive yet?"

"Yes, Master Jinn. The plans for every building in the compound were delivered this afternoon. I took the liberty of beginning to review them."

"Good. Obi-Wan, I want you to stay on the ship and work with Kawb on reviewing the plans." Qui-Gon held up a finger to forestall his student's protest when he saw the disappointed look on his face. "You saw the buildings today, and you are the only one who has experience of how these people operate. Study the plans, identify potential places you think they might use to get into the secure areas and be prepared to brief the rest of us tomorrow evening. I expect your best effort on this."

"Yes, sir." Obi-Wan sat a little taller in his chair. "You'll get it."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to visit the police commissioner. He promised us a tactical unit if we could identify a specific mission for them. I want that unit tasked to take the Shawnar Belk to recover the remaining trainees when we're ready. That will free the rest of us to focus on preventing or intercepting the thefts and capturing the main players."

There was a general murmur of assent before the group broke up for the night.

*** *** ***

Tension slowly ratcheted up over the next eight days. With the Shawnar Belk surreptitiously immobilized and a police unit on stand-by to capture it, the Jedi quietly drew the noose tighter. Obi-Wan had done a good job in identifying likely intrusion spots for extra monitoring and four more times he spotted various gang members posing as either attendees or service workers. As they approached the last few days of the convention, the Jedi began switching their surveillance from day to night except for Kawb, who remained with the ship.

As darkness was falling on the next to last day of the convention, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were sharing a meal aboard the ship before heading out. Aldeen was in the control room with the captain of the tactical unit, double-checking that his software hacks were still in place and discussing the ship take-over that they had decided would take place just after midnight, when closing festivities within the compound would be at their height.

Qui-Gon sensed growing anxiety over his bond with Obi-Wan. That matched his observation of the boy's fidgeting over the last few days.

"Is there anything you would like to discuss?" asked Qui-Gon, keeping his tone casual.

Obi-Wan stirred his cooling soup for a long moment before finally looking up. "Yes, sir." He made a few more dilatory rounds with his spoon. "I've been thinking."

"Thinking can be useful. Anything in particular?"

"Well, first off, about tonight. I figure the job HAS to be pulled off tonight. There're big parties, a music concert in the main square, fireworks… all sorts of distractions, just what they like. You said I'd be up on the roof of the building where all the expensive stuff is, but I'm not sure what you really want me to do. I know I don't have a weapon, and I don't want to be a problem, but I'd like to do something useful."

"Legitimate concerns, a reasonable desire." Qui-Gon very deliberately set his mug down. He stood up and went to one of the sealed storage lockers set into one wall. He set his palm on the lock, opened it and took out a carry bag. He placed it on the table before sitting again.

"Yes, I want you on the roof. It is a good vantage point. Your job is to observe and to notify us if anything unusual happens. I do realize that it's also a potential escape point and you might encounter dangerous people or possibly swoops coming in. I do NOT want you taking unnecessary risks." Qui-Gon opened the bag and pulled out some items. "However, some of these things might be useful. These are flare guns – use them to light up a position, to alert us or possibly scare someone off. This is a police baton." He flicked the metal rod and it extended to almost two and a half feet. "It won't help you against a lightsaber, but it's heavy and will do a lot of damage close-in. These things," he held up some short metal tubes, "are called flash-bangs. Pull this small lever, toss it, and you will get a very large noise and VERY bright lights and smoke. I expect you to use all of these responsibly and only if necessary. Use the Force skills you do have, such as a push, but I don't want you attempting any heroics that you are not trained for. That's also why Kawb is staying on the ship – he's not trained for this sort of thing, either."

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"You had other questions?"

"I was sort of wondering what happens if you do capture somebody. They are Force users and the older guys, well, they are pretty good, maybe even knight-level for a couple of them. How can you get them to trial, and, you know, keep them in jail?"

"That is simple. They are going to be in for an unpleasant surprise." Qui-Gon reached down and pulled up his own small carrysack. He brought out a flat case and opened it. "Force suppression collars." He noticed Obi-Wan's grimace as he put the case away. "All padawans are subjected to training sessions to understand what it's like. I can definitely assure you it was one of the training sessions my friends and I all hated."

"I'll bet."

The bond was still fluttering and sparking. Qui-Gon leaned back in his chair. "I sense there is still something else bothering you."

Obi-Wan scrunched up his lips. "That's our bond, isn't it?"

Qui-Gon nodded. "It does go both ways, and you haven't learned how to control your feelings very well yet."

"Yes, sir." Obi-Wan sighed as he looked down at the table. "I was wondering… well, what happens after we're done here?"

"If we are successful, we will all be returning to Coruscant." Qui-Gon stood up and put a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "That is not something to worry about now, and you must not let it distract you from the task at hand. Once we complete our mission, we will sort out our future together."

Obi-Wan looked up, nodded. Very softly, he replied, "Yes, sir. I understand."

*** *** ***

It didn't really matter that Qui-Gon had been doing this sort of thing for years. When he sensed a critical and potentially dangerous crisis, there was still a little flutter in his stomach and a heightened awareness of his surroundings. The music and lights from the parties and music concert were a little louder, a little more brassy, as he strolled about the area near their target building, a three-story plasticrete mass. Aldeen was on the other side, Bena and Tro Lim hidden inside to scan for Force signatures while watching the internal surveillance cameras with the security teams.

The concert was reaching its crescendo; the schedule called for extensive fireworks in a few minutes. Qui-Gon maneuvered closer to the building and ducked into a dark cul-de-sac. He alternately watched the building exits and the skies above.

His comm buzzed once, then clicked three times. That was the signal from Bena to indicate motion sensors on the first floor has been tripped. Qui-Gon risked a low-voiced comm call.

"Surveillance cameras are blurry, but some of those motion sensors we added are going off in air vents and near the high-security vaults. Tro and I are splitting up to investigate. Bena out."

Qui-Gon waited, breathing slowly and calmly. His chrono was just ticking over to midnight and he wondered briefly how the raid on the Shawnar Belk was going, then set that concern aside to focus on the moment.

Minutes seemed like hours as the sky was brilliantly lit by booming sparks of fire. The silence between blasts seemed ever more intense.

"What the fuck you talking about? You were supposed to take off half an hour ago, dammit. Whaddya mean, the engines wouldn't start and there's police coming in? Fucking idiots, why didn't you call right away?"

Qui-Gon looked up – the words had come from the roof of the two-story building he was leaning against.

"No, fuck fuck fuck, this is so fucking hosed. Tak, come in, come in. Abort the fucking job. Grab what you can. We're taking the swoops to meet you on the fucking roof."

Qui-Gon gave his own swallowed expletive. Obi-Wan was by himself on the roof. He broke into a run, opening his comm as he crossed the street. Two white flares were already streaking up into the sky as he wrenched open a door and headed for a stairwell.

"Aldeen, go to the roof! Swoops are heading that way. Bena, Tro, watch for Force users trying to make it to the roof or out the side doors. Obi-Wan, stay out of sight."

There were three stairwells which ended in small enclosures on the roof. Qui-Gon quickly reached the top of one. He heard the distinctive high pitch of a flash-bang before igniting his lightsaber and charging out.

Blaster fire converged on him and he ducked around to the back of the stair enclosure, deflecting shots all the way. He looked around but didn't see Obi-Wan. What he did see was a string of swoops parked along one edge of the roof and at least four people with blasters.

Three flash-bangs went off among the swoops. There was a shriek as a flare was fired and hit someone, who tumbled off the edge of the roof.

Qui-Gon looked up and realized Obi-Wan had climbed on top of another enclosure. Blaster fire erupted toward him and Obi-Wan flattened himself. Qui-Gon flew back out. He managed to take one person out as the other two dove for cover among the multiple air vents and tangles of pipes.

Two doors slammed open behind him and Qui-Gon heard the distinctive whoosh-vzz of 'sabers igniting. He sprinted for the protection of an enclosure to gain a little time, but it was only a moment's respite before he was attacked from two sides.

A rapid succession of flares went off, not into the sky, but directly into the line of swoops. The white-hot flares ignited two of the swoops. The garish flames added to the macabre colored light from the fireworks still shooting up into the night.

Qui-Gon had no time to count his opponents or to look for Obi-Wan as he battled, having to fend off both lightsabers and blasters. He got a brief reprieve when Aldeen arrived and some of his attackers turned to the new threat.

Qui-Gon heard a shout off to his left.

"Joulie, Ve! Over here, over here."

Master and knight maneuvered to get back to back. The tide turned as the duo's lightsabers flashed and hummed, an impenetrable defense that slowly disabled or turned aside their foes.

Suddenly, one of 'saber wielders turned and ran. He jumped on one of the few operable swoops remaining and took off.

From behind a set of air vents, a slight figure rose. His arm reared back and he flung a metal rod – it whirled end over end but headed straight and true toward the swoop.

The swoop jerked as the rider lifted his lightsaber to deflect the rod. The distraction gave Qui-Gon a few precious seconds to break away from the fight and pull the swoop back onto the roof with an intense Force pull. The swoop skidded across the roof into a stack of pipes. Qui-Gon leaped onto the rider and rendered him unconscious with an inelegant but effective blow to the head with his lightsaber.

When Qui-Gon looked up, Bena had arrived and helped Aldeen take down the few remaining foes. A few moments later, a squad of policemen thundered up onto the roof.

Qui-Gon stood up and looked around, surveying the damage as he recovered his breath.

"Sorry I'm late," said Bena with a lopsided grin. "We had our hands full downstairs for a while. Got five more collared and tied up with Tro and a bunch of security guys watching them."

"We had best mop up here then."

The first priority was to get Force suppressors on anyone who appeared the least bit Force-capable. There were seven of those and two non-Force-using support people. Presumably there was also a body down on the street below that the police were taking care of.

When Qui-Gon straightened from applying the last collar, he saw Obi-Wan kneeling behind the air vents. He quickly went over.

"Are you injured?"

"Just a few burns here and there, sir." Obi-Wan stood and helped two others to their feet. "This is Joulie, I mean Joulakortek, and P'Gan Ve. Guys, this is Master Qui-Gon Jinn."

Ve, a pale-skinned, almost albino youth, blinked several times. "Jedi? Jedi are here?"

"Yes, we have been looking for you," said Qui-Gon. "We're going to take you home."

"It's over?" whispered Joulakortek, a husky teenager with green eyes. "Really over?" He shuddered and looked ready to fall.

"It is really over." Aldeen gathered the trainee in his arms. "I think we'd better get both of them back to Kawb."

"I agree. Please do that while Bena and I clear things up here."

*** *** ***

It took several hours, but by noon the next day the injured and relatively undamaged prisoners had been secured in a special section of the local jail, the computers of the gang's ship had been unlocked and the tedious process of collecting and processing evidence was underway. The galactic justice forces had been notified and were sending a ship to pick up all of the prisoners and evidence for trial on Coruscant. The two rescued trainees had been set up in an impromptu medbay in the small cargo hold of Qui-Gon's ship under Kawb's care.

The Jedi met one last time in Qui-Gon's ship before parting ways. Bena and Tro Lim were staying on Provis to oversee the data collection and prisoners until the galactic team arrived. Qui-Gon, Aldeen, Obi-Wan and Kawb were going back to Coruscant with the trainees.

"I think that about wraps things up, then." Aldeen sighed. "It's been a long mission, but I'm glad we were able to get the bastards."

"You speak for all of us," said Bena. "I'll finish our report before you arrive on Coruscant and send it to you so you can include it with yours."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I'll do the final consolidation and turn it in. I suspect the Council will want a presentation instead of just reading it."

"I will not put credits on an obvious sucker bet." Bena grinned. "Better you than me." She rose, as did Tro. "It's been good to work with all of you. Obi-Wan, I wish you the best of luck getting your life back together. I'm sure Qui-Gon will keep you on your toes."

"Thank you, Master Bena. I'm looking forward to it."

They shook hands all around. Bena and Tro returned to their work. The others took off for Coruscant.

It was four days en route. Qui-Gon and Aldeen worked on the final mission reports. Obi-Wan kept busy with course work, although Qui-Gon made sure to spend time with him each day on katas and meditation as well as discussing the rooftop firefight. Kawb practically lived in the cargo hold, having had to sedate both trainees as withdrawal symptoms hit them hard.

Their arrival on Coruscant was uneventful. Kawb took the trainees to the Healer Hall, their ship was turned in for maintenance and reassignment, Qui-Gon and Aldeen had a summons to give their report to the Council the next morning and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were to meet the Council immediately after that.

That evening Obi-Wan was sitting at the small table in their visitor quarters. He was flipping through a datapad, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere.

Qui-Gon watched quietly for a while from the armchair as he considered the situation. The bond was reverberating with low-level tension. Finally, he broke the silence. "How's the novel?"

Obi-Wan started a little, but then looked up a bit sheepishly. "I don't know. I guess I wasn't really paying any attention." He licked his bottom lip. "It's sort of weird to be back here at the Temple. When I left, I never thought I'd see it again. And I was even more sure of it after I got taken."

"I haven't spent very much time here myself for several years. A few days or tens here and there, staying in visitor quarters. Mostly I've been out on missions."

"Mmm hmmm," replied Obi-Wan noncommittally. His gaze wandered around the bare room of the small suite as the fingers of his right hand tapped the table.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?"

Obi-Wan went still. "Yes, sir."

"I understand. Whatever happens, though, remember that it is the will of the Force that we be together. I believe that above all else."

"But what…" Obi-Wan stopped, then continued with a rush. "What if the Council says I have to go back to the AgCorps?"

"If they insist, then I will go with you. I have the right to request assignment to any of the Service Corps."

"You would really do that for me?"

Qui-Gon rose, went to the table and knelt in front of Obi-Wan. He took Obi-Wan's hands in his. "I will do whatever it takes for us to be together. You are worth it to me."

"Whoah…" Obi-Wan looked dumbfounded, almost as if he had not allowed himself to believe this could be truly happening. "That's pretty serious."

"Yes. But all that is a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, I know a lovely, very quiet spot for a meditation in the Garden of a Thousand Fountains. Let us go enjoy it."

The mission report in the morning went almost an hour and a half. Master Gerrnvik, head of the Reassignment Council, was an unexpected visitor, but he was intensely interested in anything to do with Service Corps' trainees past and present. When they finally finished, Knight Aldeen was released and Master Jinn was asked to wait outside.

There was another surprise for Qui-Gon in the waiting area. Master Healer Dralozh was sitting next to Obi-Wan, and they appeared to be absorbed in some sort of game on a datapad.

Dralozh looked up and smiled. "Master Jinn, how nice to see you again. I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of my padawan on your mission. Kawb sends his thanks as well and said the experience was very educational."

"You are most welcome. We were happy to have Padawan Kawb with us. He was quite helpful in many aspects, particularly his ongoing care of Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan, who seemed more relaxed than he expected. "I didn't know you were back in Temple, or we would have stopped by to pay our respects."

"I've only been back a few days, so don't worry about it. Since I was here, I wished to follow up to find out how both of you were doing. I'm very interested in seeing how this meeting with the Council turns out, so I invited myself to attend."

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. Dralozh continued to surprise him, not only the act of 'inviting himself', but also the fact that the Council presumably allowed it. "Let us hope it turns out well." He sat down on the other side of Obi-Wan.

Fifteen minutes later, the big doors opened. Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly at Obi-Wan, took a deep breath, and led the way into the chamber. Dralozh followed them and took a place along one wall.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood in the center of the room and bowed to Master Yoda.

"An unusual situation we have today. Discussed your mission report we did. Also Master Healer Dralozh's report we reviewed. Clear it is that Master Jinn's action was not premeditated, but took place in the face of a sudden and unexpected emergency on the mission. Formed a life bond was between Master Jinn and Trainee Kenobi under the honest belief that saving Trainee Kenobi's life he was. In dispute these facts are not."

"However," continued Master Windu, "we now need to deal with the results of those actions. My first question is for Trainee Kenobi. Do you wish to remain in the bond with Master Jinn or have the healers attempt to remove it?"

"I absolutely want to keep the bond," answered Obi-Wan without hesitation.

"And you, Master Jinn?"

"It was by the will of the Force that the bond was formed. I believe we belong together and I have undertaken to begin training Obi-Wan."

Windu rubbed at the spot between his eyes as if the words 'will of the Force' were giving him a headache. He exchanged glances with Yoda, who merely twitched the end of one ear.

"Train the boy you wish, hrrmmm?"

"Yes, Master Yoda."

"Train him to do what? To be what?" asked Windu, exasperation clear in his voice. "He was assigned to the Agricultural Corps for training."

"I am aware of that. However, I have had the opportunity to work with Obi-Wan and to see him in a difficult mission setting. He is strong in the Force, a quick learner, brave and industrious. Perfect? No. But none of us can claim that. And although he was assigned to the Agricultural Corps, he never had the opportunity to even begin their training program, leaving him essentially at the same state of learning as when he was thirteen." Qui-Gon raised his head high and looked directly at Yoda. "Given what I now know of Obi-Wan, and the fact that I have been pressed on many occasions to take a padawan, I am requesting an exception to policy to take Obi-Wan Kenobi as my padawan learner."

Several voices were immediately raised in protest. Windu sighed and rolled his eyes. Yoda remained inscrutable. A quick glance to his right revealed Dralozh had a tiny smile. Obi-Wan was looking up at him with his mouth slightly open but his eyes shining.

Qui-Gon let the tumult wash over him as arguments rolled about the room. His only actions were to put a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and send warm thoughts along their bond.

"Enough." Windu's no-nonsense tone cut through the noise and the chamber quieted. "Trainee Kenobi was evaluated, did not pass his initiate testing and no one was willing to take him as a padawan. He was appropriately designated by the Reassignment Council for training in a new field of endeavor. He belongs in AgCorps."

"We will not be separated," said Qui-Gon, quietly and politely. "If you wish to send Obi-Wan to AgCorps, then clearly you will need to send me with him, although I do believe the Order would be far better served if I train him as my padawan."

"Oh, for Force sake." Windu glared as more murmurs went around. "We've invested years of training and experience in you, and though it pains me to have to say it, you know damned well you're one of the best negotiators we have. The Order needs you. Hell, the Chancellor asks for you by name."

"And I believe Obi-Wan has the potential to match or surpass my accomplishments. I think we could be very good for each other, actually," said Qui-Gon serenely. Inside he was getting ticked off at the response he had known to expect, but he was not letting that show. He had also buried his doubts about his own perceived shortcomings as a master for the moment, something he was certain Master Dralozh would call him out on later, but he didn't want that to be an issue affecting his concentration today. He gave a light squeeze of encouragement to Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"This is not getting us anywhere." Windu glared some more. "Kenobi is already a trainee."

"Gentlebeings, may I say a few words?" Dralozh strolled forward and stopped near Obi-Wan. "I have studied this case quite extensively."

Windu didn't look very happy at the interruption, but grudgingly nodded.

"Thank you. I have reviewed the background and soul healer sessions of both Master Jinn and Trainee Kenobi. In addition, I had the opportunity to examine them both a short time after their bond was initially formed. It is my professional opinion that this is not a life bond that can be broken, so that is not an option. It is also my professional opinion that separating them by sending Obi-Wan to AgCorps and requiring Qui-Gon to continue his extensive mission workload would have significant deleterious impacts on both individuals." Dralozh smiled pleasantly.

"Of course, some of you aware of my thoughts about the somewhat arbitrary nature of how we handle the fates of our initiates – I have always contended that we should take more account of the fact that different beings mature at different rates. In any event, my examination showed that although he did receive focused training in certain specific Force skills during his imprisonment, Obi-Wan's current stage of emotional and academic development is as Qui-Gon indicated, basically near the level of a typical thirteen-year-old. It would be in the best interests of the Order and of both individuals to allow Qui-Gon to take Obi-Wan as his padawan." He nodded to the Councilors and ambled back to his place along the wall.

"If we allow this exception, it opens the door for every initiate to challenge a reassignment," grumped Windu.

"It is an EXCEPTION due to unique circumstances." Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "I think it highly unlikely that this sort of thing could happen very often."

"Hrrmmm. Stubborn you are, Qui-Gon. If deny this request the Council does, stay together you will attempt anyway. Deny that, do you?"

"No, Master Yoda." Qui-Gon was seriously tempted to utter those magic words again, 'will of the Force', but he suspected Windu might turn apoplectic. "We will find a way to do the right thing."

"Even if leaving the Order that means."

"Yes."

Windu glowered as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Exceptions to many of our policies are not unknown. Not frequent, but not unknown." Yoda looked around at each of the other Councilors. "Even taking in older initiates has been done with good results. Perhaps the taking of a padawan who has not started a new path yet should be considered."

Many heads turned toward Eeth Koth for a moment, who had been allowed to become an initiate at age four. He looked only at Yoda, not even stirring in his seat.

"Unique this situation is. Recommended against separation has one of our best healers. To lose either or both to the Order serves no good purpose."

"You are recommending approving Qui-Gon's request, then?"

"Believe that is what I said, I do." Both of Yoda's ears twitched and there was a bit of a gleam in his eye as he looked at Qui-Gon. "Long past time it is for Qui-Gon Jinn to take another padawan. Let Obi-Wan Kenobi be that padawan, we should."

Windu's jaw was so tight that Qui-Gon was afraid he might break a few teeth.

After several slow breaths through his nose, Windu unclenched his jaw. "We have heard the request, the Master Healer's analysis and the words of Master Yoda. Is there anyone who wishes to vote NOT to approve allowing Master Jinn to take Kenobi as his padawan?"

There was dead silence in the chamber.

Windu shot one last glare at Yoda before declaring, "Request is approved. You're both dismissed to get on with it."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon decorously bowed, keeping his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder so the joy he could feel flooding their bond didn't erupt. They sedately left the chamber, followed by Dralozh.

Outside, Qui-Gon swept Obi-Wan up in a hug, both of them grinning wide and their bond shining bright in the Force.

"Congratulations," said Dralozh, his own happiness at the outcome evident in his beaming smile.

Qui-Gon put Obi-Wan down, still with one hand on a shoulder. "Thank YOU, Master Dralozh. I take back all the evil things I ever thought about soul healers."

"Quite alright, but appreciated." With a sly smile, he started to turn away, but said over his shoulder, "Aside from getting a win from the Council, I am rather fond of choco crisps with liva fruit filling." He winked and left.

Qui-Gon laughed and hugged Obi-Wan again. He didn't need the Force to tell him that he would be buying several cases of cookies soon.

finis


End file.
